And Love Thee After
by Brunette
Summary: Ardeth has found love in his bride, Delphine. Evelyn is trapped in a marriage to Beni, but will her blossoming romance with Rick O'Connell be the key that saves Ardeth from Beni's revenge, or the catalyst for a vicious spiral? An Othello adaptation.
1. kisses for my pains

_Author's Note: So what am I doing here? Well, like I said on my profile, I'm holding off on updating_ The Lady and the Tramp _and_ Thirty Pieces of Silver_ until I have revised_ Tramps and Thieves._ And, technically, I should be working on my challenge fic for the Fireplace. So, yes, that's actually two things I should be doing instead of this, but I really just had to start this lovely venture. As you probably don't know, _Othello_ is my all-time favorite Shakespearean play, and I couldn't help thinking that (with a little nudging) it could be fit into the 1920's, with The Mummy characters. _

_**Important Notes:** This story is AU, with loose basings on historical occurances. It's also an adaptation. To me, an adaptation means that the traits of the original characters stay true to who they are IN THE FILM, but their roles adapt to serve the appropriate ends of THE PLAY. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the 1999 Universal Pictures film,_ The Mummy_. The character of Delphine Bertrand is my own._

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_Just outside of Cairo, 1925_

**kisses for my pains.**

The kindling in the fire cracked and popped in quiet comfort, the cool Egyptian wind brushed off by hot flames. The burnished light lapped against the thick, red Berber rug spread out over the grass and sand, flickering against the pale, shapely legs of a young woman. The flames played uncertainly over the dark, bared chest of the man beside her, splashing moments of light against his black tattoos and discolored scars before hiding them in shadow again. His voice filled the quiet of the night with low whispers, his teeth flashing in a smile every time her eyes widened in emtion. She listened to him with her breath held, fingers tracing anxiously over the long, straight scar that cut across his muscled abdomen.

"It was a bad time, Delphine. We could not tell what to do--who to trust. As an Egyptian, I wanted to stand with my countrymen and fight the British rule. But as a Med-Jai, I could not refuse their offer. Hamunaptra remains secured still, untouched by grave robbers and thieves. It may be the only time the British have kept their word to an Egyptian man."

Delphine glanced down, feeling the uneven ridges of the scar beneath her fingertips. She smiled, something weakly clever flashing in her deep blue eyes. She spoke cautiously and primly in Arabic, her French accent mangling some words in a way that he had grown familiar with. "As if they could refuse you, the great Ardeth Bay."

A sad smile tugged on his lips. "Some days...I worry I have betrayed my people by allying with the British. Perhaps if the Med-Jai had sided with the Egyptians..."

His voice faded into the crackling of the fire and the soft howl of the wind. Ardeth shook his head. He reached down and grasped her hand suddenly, lifting her knuckles to his lips. She met his dark gaze quietly for a moment, and then rest her head against his chest.

"Do you regret accepting Lord Carnahan's proposal?" she asked plaintively. He shook his head, the rough, black hairs of his beard brushing against her forehead. She looked up.

"Never," he whispered firmly, his eyes burning and honest. "How else would I have found you?"

Delphine tilted her head, waiting for his lips. He kissed her lightly, watching her patiently until she opened her eyes to gaze at him again. His lips quivered with the want to speak, but she silenced him with a deeper embrace, gently pulling him down with her as she settled on the rug. Her long, dark hair spread about her face in a halo of unraveling, silky waves, and her bright eyes asked of him what she was yet too shy to speak. Ardeth smiled at her, covering her body with his own. She planted sweet, quick kisses along his neck, feeling the hum of his voice beneath her lips.

"You know I love you very much, Delphine."

She paused, twisting her head to look up at him. She couldn't help the joyful smile that lit her face.

"I love you, too, Ardeth--since the first day you visited my uncle. When you told of fighting the Tuaregs, and the Legionnaires joined you--I loved you. Do you remember?"

He chuckled, nodding his head. She tilted her head to the side, watching him curiously.

"When did you know that you loved me?"

Ardeth pressed a kiss to her forehead, frowning in thought. She waited patiently, her eyes tracing the handsome contours of his face as he stared out into the desert night, thinking. The time passed with growing anxiety for Delphine; she began to worry that he would tell her that he simply didn't remember. She reached her long, white fingers up to his face, tracing the black marking on his cheek. She opened her mouth to tell him not to bother about when--that as long as he loved her now, she would be satisfied. But his voice carried steadily to her as he turned to look her in the eye again.

"It was that same night...when I was telling about the sword fight with Loch-Nah, and I described...I guess I described too vividly the way he slashed me, because I remember the look in your cousin's eyes. She was terrified of me, so I started to appologize...and then I looked at you. You have never feared me."

Delphine shook her head, pulling his lips down to meet hers again. But he broke off the embrace rather suddenly, his dark eyes aflame with something urgent. He stared into her eyes steadily, his mouth trembling for the right words. She caressed the side of his face with her hand, trying to soothe his agitation.

"What is it, Ardeth?"

"Never fear me," he whispered finally, his eyes still frantic with something not quite unknown.

"I don't--"

"Please," he interceded with growing persistence. "I have done things, Delphine. Awful things. I have killed men and left their wives and children as widows and orphans, and I'm not proud. I've done what had to be done, to restore peace and order. And perhaps I am a cursed man...because I've always done well..."

Ardeth swallowed difficultly, closing his eyes for a moment. Her fingers strayed to his hair, tangling in the black curls. He rest his head against her chest, allowing her touch to quiet the tension in his shoulders.

"You are a brave man," she told him fiercely. "And you know what you've done is good. There will always be war, my love. And because of you, many more men are still fathers and husbands today."

He lifted himself up on his elbows, enveloping her mouth in a deep kiss. She moaned softly, her fingers tightening on his shoulder. His lips strayed reluctantly from hers, trailing down her neck. She opened her eyes, watching the firelight play against the muscles of his back, turning his skin to a deep bronze. She sighed in ectasy.

"You're the only man I've ever loved."

He lifted his head to gaze into her eyes again. "I'll love you forever, until the end of eternity."

She kissed him again, and they made love in the dying heat of a desert campfire: an Arabic man and his French bride.

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_So, what do you think? I'll admit, this first chapter is hopelessly fluffy; but as I generally hate fluff, it will be well-balanced with other things. Whatever you're thinking--please, let me know!_


	2. robbed

_**A Note.** Usually, I don't think it's necessary to explain racial slurs in a time period fic; people were allowed to be racist, it's an unfortunate fact. However, I consider some of the remarks in this chapter particularly crude, and I wanted to explain the choice to use them. In Shakespeare's script, Iago makes various comments about Othello and Desdemona in this scene:_

_"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram  
Is tupping your white ewe."_

_"you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary  
horse, you'll have your nephews neigh to you,  
you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for  
germans."_

_"I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter  
and the Moor are making the beast with two backs."  
_(Act I: s. 1)

**_In my opinion, Iago's racist remarks make him that much more the villain, and so I used that part of his character in this scene._**

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Carnahan Manor: Cairo, 1925_

**robbed.**

The electric fixtures were off in the study, but a kerosene lamp was lending its steady light to another pair, sitting in conversation. The woman spoke in a pleasant whisper, a book open on her lap, her fingers folded demurely over the pages. The yellow light turned the aged ink a brownish color, and twinkled dully on the gold band around her married finger. Her eyes glittered gray and green at the man seated respectfully across the room in a leather arm chair. He had no ring--on any of his fingers--and he wasn't entirely certain what to do with them while he listened to her. He couldn't take his gaze away from her pretty face.

"And, anyway, I just hope you'll excuse him, Mr. O'Connell," she pronounced finally, breathing a fluttering sigh.

"It's no problem," he returned easily--although, only hours ago, their subject of conversation had been quite a problem. But something about her nervous smiles, about her genuine pleas, made him willing to forget. The side of his mouth tugged up with a lopsided grin, and she glanced away from him, hiding her smile.

"Thank you," she breathed quietly. "I know he isn't...well, I know him. And even though he'd never say it, I just felt someone had ought to appologize."

O'Connell shrugged stiffly. "Look, Mrs.--"

"Please," she cut in quickly, her face flushing a little, "I would...very much appreciate it if you'd call me Evelyn, Mr. O'Connell. I do hope we can make amends."

He grinned again, and she looked away again, her right hand twisting the ring on her left idly. O'Connell waited for her to glance up at him before telling her:

"You can call me Rick."

Evelyn smiled shyly, folding her hands again. "Well...I just...I hope you don't think us inhospitable. My mother would have positively fainted to see such a thing at her table--"

"Hey," Rick put in firmly, catching her eyes in a steady gaze. She swallowed, unable to pull her glance away. "It's over now. He was a little toasted, and kind of angry--and, let's face it. He had a reason to be. Hell, everybody thought he was a shoo-in for the promotion. I know him, too, Evelyn. He's not a bad guy."

She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. Pursing her lips, she turned her focus to the book on her lap. After a moment, she found her voice again:

"That's very...kind of you," tumbled unceremoniously and awkwardly from her lips. Rick could tell from the way she began drumming her fingernails on the page that that was not at all what she had prevented herself from saying a moment ago. But he wasn't sure how to tactfully press her for the truth. Before he could even begin thinking of the right words, she was blurting: "And congratulations on your promotion...by the way."

He nodded stiffly. "Absolutely...thanks."

His eyes strayed reluctantly to the clock on the mantle, feeling the weight of an oncoming silence. He started to stand up when a loud, crashing noise echoed through the house. Evelyn closed her book, meeting his gaze with equal curiosity and a touch of fright. O'Connell reached quickly into his jacket, pulling out a pistol from his shoulder holster. Evelyn stood up slowly, following him to the wide doorway. One of the French doors was already open; O'Connell took his place behind the other and peered into the hallway.

_"MR. CARNAHAN!"_

Evelyn closed her eyes, breathing a sigh. Rick heard her mumble under her breath, "Dear God, why?"

Drunken, amused chortles bounced against the walls, uneven footsteps clattered against the hardwood floors. Evelyn glanced at O'Connell and walked passed him, out of the study and into the hallway. She saw immediately that the front door stood wide open; glancing towards the drawing room, she caught a glimpse of two thin figures stumbling to the staircase.

_"Lord_ Carnahan, my good son! _Loooord--"_ a second voice was correcting.

"Right, right. LORD CARNAHAN! WAKE UP!"

Evelyn crossed the drawing room quickly, her spine steeled for battle. O'Connell watched her from the hallway, his gun uncocked but still in his hand.

"What is going on out here?!" Evelyn hissed, as if the caution of a whisper was still important after the intruders' yells.

They ignored her, mounting the first step with uneasy balance.

_"Lord Carnahan--!"_

She gripped their arms in each hand, trying desperately to hold them back. "Stop it! Stop it, both of you! You'll wake him! Jonathan!"

Jonathan slid to a sitting position on the bottom step, his body wracked with laughter. His partner escaped her grasp easily, fumbling his way up the stairs. The man, Evelyn's husband, as it were, gripped the banister and reeled a little. She gasped, holding her breath until he regained his balance. He hollered again for the master of the house; Evelyn turned her attention to the more managable of the two.

Gripping his shoulders, she glared steadily into his face. He met her eyes with a lazy smile, his chuckles quieting to labored breaths.

"What's happening? What's all this fuss about?" she demanded. But Jonathan only shrugged drunkenly, taking entirely too long to open his mouth and speak. When he did finally manage to pry his lips out of his silly grin, Lord Carnahan appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What is the meaning of this?" he roared with a voice that cracked from sleep.

He was an aging man, usually of regal appearance and well-kept. But his normally-greased and combed locks of white hair were in a disarray about his face, and his keen eyes now glinted dully with lost dreams. His frame, never seen outside of an emaculate tailored suit, was presently draped in a pale nightgown. Jonathan's eyes wandered lazily to his father, and a new bout of guffahs rose up from his chest.

Lord Carnahan glared at his son before turning his eyes sharply to Evelyn. She threw up her hands to express her confusion. With a disdaining snort, the master of the Carnahan Manor turned his attention to his son-in-law.

"Well?"

"Lord Carnahan," he began, too loudly, "you've been robbed!"

The older man took a deep breath, his needle-like stare again finding his daughter. In a firm, even tone, he commanded: "Evelyn, put them to bed."

"I'm saying!" the drunken in-law persisted, "That right now _your_ niece--your sister's own daughter--has been taken!"

Lord Carnahan blinked, his eyes flitting again to Evelyn. _"Put them to bed,_ girl."

"Right now, your Lordship, she's getting banged by a turban-head!"

Jonathan burst out in a fit of laughter again; Evelyn's cheeks colored with embarrassed rage. She stepped passed her brother, taking a firm hold of her husband's arm.

"That's quite enough," she pronounced in frustration. But he wrenched free of her grasp, his gaze glinting cruelly as he turned his focus to her.

"Shut up! I'll let you know when it's enough!"

A wave of dizziness took hold of him, and he struggled to catch himself on the banister again. He settled himself firmly on his own two feet, meeting Lord Carnahan's eyes with a smirk.

"Do you think I am joking? Look for her! Find pretty Delphine! I tell you, that ape has her. You'll have monkeys for relatives!"

The lord's eyes widened; he glanced at Evelyn, once, before turning away from the staircase and rushing down the upstairs hallway. His muffled calls became louder, more frequent. Evelyn took a breath, meeting her husband's snickering face with an unspoken rebuke. He snorted, watching her raise a disapproving eyebrow.

"Beni," she mustered through her teeth. His lips spread in an ugly grin, and a certain gleam in his eye told her he was quite sober.

"Evelyn," he retorted mockingly.

She swallowed with strained difficulty, her heart quickening in her chest. "Why are you doing this?"

He raised an eyebrow in return, folding his arms over his chest. "Because it is true, my dear. Your cousin is getting a good rutting from that Arab, Ardeth Bay."

Evelyn's stomach twisted angrily. She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, her throat too tight to speak. Lord Carnahan appeared at the stairway again.

"She's gone!" he sputtered, mouth gaping in disbelief. A maroon robe had been thrown haphazardly about his shoulders; the proud Englishman hurried down the stairs, passed his family. Anxiety lined his face, but as he noticed Rick O'Connell, watching quietly from a room away, his manners stiffened.

"The general you serve has taken my niece. Did you know of this?"

The soldier straightened and walked dutifully towards the lord. When he entered the drawing room, he glanced at the staircase and the odd assortment of people collected upon it. He caught Evelyn's eyes, begging him for forgiveness for sins that certainly weren't hers, and something in his heart softened. He shrugged his muscled shoulders, meeting Lord Carnahan's impatient gaze again.

"It looks to me like you should be asking Beni, sir. He seems to know so much about it."

Evelyn saw Beni's fingers tighten on the banister, but his face was placid and unmoved. "But you are the one he promoted, aren't you, O'Connell?"

Tension built in their silence; Lord Carnahan looked from one to the other until his anxiety again got the best of him.

"Listen! I haven't a care who knows more about it! I only want my niece brought back to me!"

Evelyn glanced at her husband expectantly, but his eyes were far off. He made his way slowly down the stairs, stepping over Jonathan's now-snoring form with his gaze fastened beyond his father-in-law. He smiled, lifting his hand in a wave.

"No problem."

Lord Carnahan whirled around and stared.


	3. chains of magic

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Carnahan Manor: Cairo, 1925_

**chains of magic.**

_"You!"_

Evelyn startled at the ferocity of her father's voice, following his gaze reluctantly. The front door was still propped wide open, just as Beni and Jonathan had left it when they waltzed into the house, and the newcomers had entered without a sound. Delphine stood quietly in the foyer, her expression a little pained as she met her uncle's glare. Still, the flush in her cheeks and the glow in her eyes told a story unto itself. She gripped Ardeth's arm and he took half a step forward, shielding her from Lord Carnahan's rage with a prepared calm.

"What is the meaning of all this?!" the lord demanded, yet again, his eyes brewing with a grayish storm.

"Uncle--" Delphine put in plaintively, but he silenced her with a stern look.

"Don't you speak to me, girl!" he roared. "I take you into this house as one of my own, and you repay me by running about, acting like a whore! Thank heavens your mother isn't here to see you now!"

Evelyn pursed her lips, taking the first few steps down the staircase. Her husband caught her shoulder in his hand, holding her firmly in her place. She glanced up at him, frowning darkly, but his grip only tightened on her flesh. She turned her head so that he could not see her wince.

"Lord Carnahan, I hold you in the highest regard," Ardeth began, coolly and precisely, "but I cannot allow you to speak to my wife in that way."

A heavy silence clattered around them; though his back was turned to her, Evelyn could very well imagine the way her father's face was twitching now, too awestruck to speak. Despite the sickening fear that was leaking into her stomach, expecting the worst, she let out an uneven sigh of relief. If it was true--if they were married, the matter was another thing entirely.

Jonathan made an unintelligable whelp in his sleep, flinching to a new position. Lord Carnahan's gaze strayed to his son momentarily, and then slowly turned back to the pair before him.

_"What,"_ he whispered in raspy disbelief, "did you say?"

Ardeth met his brewing eyes with dark tranquility, barely inclining his head in a nod. Evelyn took a breath and straightened her shoulders, feeling Beni's silent warning in the tips of his fingers. She ignored him:

"He said they're married, Father," she put in evenly.

Lord Carnahan acknowledged her with an icy glare over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to Ardeth, his fists clenched at his sides. He began shaking his head, muttering words that did not carry up the staircase. Evelyn looked up at her husband, wrapped her fingers gently around the hand on her shoulder, and dug her nails into his knuckles. He grimaced and instinctively loosened his grip, and she slipped quietly down the rest of the stairs.

"This can't be," Lord Carnahan pronounced finally. "She's been tricked, bewitched. He's taken her against his will--"

"No, Uncle," Delphine spoke up meekly. His glare drilled into her passive blue depths, but she took a breath and did not look away. "I love him."

The older man forced a mocking snort. _"Love_ him! You're eighteen years old. You don't know a thing about love!"

Evelyn took a few steps forward, barely catching O'Connell in the corner of her eye. He glanced at her with something like surprise, but she denied herself the desire to look into his eyes and focused on the foray in the foyer.

"Father," she tried, a little more firmly, "they are married."

The lord whirled around, his mouth hanging open and ready to rebuke her, but Ardeth's collected voice pulled his attention back.

"Lord Carnahan, I truly regret doing this without your consent. You have a right to be angry with us. But, as you know, I am being dispatched to Alexandria tomorrow. There was no time but tonight."

Lord Carnahan started to say something, but the words were swallowed up in his throat. He looked between the two of them, the rage slowly dying to defeat in his clear gray eyes. He closed his gaping mouth and straightened his posture--again the regal master despite his nightgown and bare feet. He declined his head in a succinct little nod, and met Ardeth's gaze with dutifully expressionless eyes.

"Then you'll be taking her with you in the morning."

Ardeth appeared more a soldier than a general. "Yes, sir."

The lord smiled sadly, jerking his head at his sleeping son. "It will be quite an empty house with just he and I."

He reached for Delphine's hand and she gave it to him, allowing him to pull her into a stiff embrace. He may have blessed the marriage, or he may have simply said it was all well and done now. She wasn't sure herself.

Sighing loudly, his shoulders drooped a little, and he bid them all good night. Lord Carnahan lumbered across the drawing room, to the staircase, and mounted the first step. He looked at his daughter and nodded at Jonathan obviously. Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest and met his gaze in understanding. He smiled at her affectionately and went up the stairs, back to bed.

Evelyn turned her attention to her brother and sighed.

"Let me help you with him," O'Connell offered, striding past her to the unconscious form. She smiled gratefully as the American pulled Jonathan onto his feet, allowing him to lean heavily against him. As her brother was hauled off to bed, Evelyn's gaze found Delphine and Ardeth, still standing in the foyer, completely unaware.

He held her in his protective arms, his forehead pressed against hers. He smiled at her and she smiled back, twisting the curled ends of his hair in her fingers. He stooped a little to kiss her, lost in a world consisting only of her, succumbing to senseless joy without restraint.

Evelyn felt a wave of sadness sweep through her veins, tearing at her heart with frozen fingers. She glanced away and sniffed, ruthlessly regaining her composure before her unwatching audience. Her eyes strayed up the staircase, to her husband still leaning on the banister. He met her gaze for a moment before flicking his attention back to the enraptured pair. Evelyn started up the stairs quietly, stopping beside Beni. She did not touch him when she leaned in to whisper:

"Are you coming to bed? We've got to be up early tomorrow."

He waved her off thoughtlessly, watching the lovers from the shadows. She went upstairs without him; Beni hardly noticed.

Ardeth pulled himself gently from his bride's arms, inciting a little moan of protest from the pretty young woman. He pressed a finger to his lips, reaching into the folds of his traditional Med-Jai robe and procuring a white slip of fabric. Delphine studied it curiously, taking it from his hand when his eyes prompted her. She held the light, delicate kerchief up, her eyes running over the gold embroidery in amazement.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, brushing her thumb against the smooth threading. Ardeth smiled.

"It was my mother's. She made it for my father before he first rode into battle." He took it carefully from her hands, pointing out a few figures in the center. "Here is an ancient spell to ward off evil. It protected him from harm."

Delphine smiled. "Then you should keep it."

But her husband was shaking his head. "No. Where we are going...there will be no battles. I want you to have it."

He held it out to her again, she she took it from him with trembling fingers. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her close to him.

"I will cherish it always," she whispered into his chest, tilting her face up to meet his kiss.

Beni watched Ardeth's fingers tangle in her hair, saw her hands moving towards his belt and heard the passion in their quiet moans. He crept the rest of the way up the stairs, walking thoughtfully down the hallway towards his room. The firm hand that gripped his shoulder of a sudden would have made him cry out in surprise, had another palm not been slapped around his mouth. He was pushed against the wall by a dark form; a moment later, he made out O'Connell's face in the blackness.

"Look," the American grunted in a subdued tone. "You're pissed off, and I get it. But if you ever go around here calling a man like Ardeth Bay a monkey, I _will_ beat your face in. You got that?"

Beni gulped and tried to nod despite the hand on his face. O'Connell glared into his eyes a moment longer, and then released him. Beni spat a few curses at the floor and slipped into his room.


	4. a proper man

_Author's Note: So, I thought I'd treat those of you who are reading (though not ((cough)) reviewing) to the next two chapters. Yay! Maybe I'm just odd, but it's annoying me to have two completed chapters sitting around here un-posted. So...ta-da! _

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Carnahan Manor: Cairo, 1925_

**a proper man.**

Beni closed the door loudly behind him, rubbing his face absently. The bedside lamp was lit, and Evelyn sat up in bed, staring at the pages of a book. He snorted and crossed the room to the dresser, beginning to unbutton his crumpled shirt. He saw his wife glance at him out of the corner of his eye, and braced himself.

"Well," she sighed finally. "Are you quite pleased with yourself?"

Beni shrugged, pulling his arms out of the sleeves and tossing his shirt on the floor. "Are you all packed for tomorrow?"

He leaned down to unlace his shoes, and didn't see her teeth clench. "Yes. Beni--"

_"No,_ I'm not pleased," he snapped quickly, balancing on one foot to remove his shoe. "I was an ass. Are you happy now?"

Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, but shut it just as suddenly and shook her head. She glanced away as he slipped his legs from his pants and threw them on the floor as well.

"I understand that you're upset," she managed finally. He shot her a look over his shoulder and scoffed.

"Do you know, Evelyn, what I did for that man?"

"I've heard once or twice," she muttered evenly.

Beni ignored her, crossing the room to sit on his side of the bed. He began to tug at his sweaty socks with growing agitation. "Two Egyptian rebels fighting him on foot. He didn't even know the third one was behind him until after I shot the bastard. And that--that sand-eater has the guts to give O'Connell the position! He would not even be alive if not for me!"

Evelyn closed her book impatiently. "Yes. Well I suppose you'll just have to prove yourself in Alexandria--"

Her husband scoffed again, peeling back the comforter and sheets on his side and crawling into bed. Evelyn put her book down on the bedstand and blew out the light. She closed her eyes, and he started up again:

"Alexandria," he grumbled bitterly. "I will be nothing but a beat cop, directing traffic. You goddamn British want a military rule, and now I am nothing. Ardeth and O'Connell will get to be in an office all day...with--with fans blowing and cold drinks and a bathroom..."

Evelyn sighed. "As I remember, you didn't much care for the soldier's lifestyle, either."

Beni didn't say anything, and Evelyn shifted to her side. Just as she was settling herself again, she felt his rough fingertips grazing her shoulder. Her muscles tensed, and her stomach twisted with apprehension as his moist, hot breath brushed her ear. She tried to swallow the dryness in her throat, hoping vainly that he would decide to sleep instead. But his lips were on her neck now, and his hand were straying from her arm--

"I've got a headache," she sputtered awkwardly, staring steadily away from his gaze.

He leered over her impatiently. "Do I ask much of you, as a wife?"

She pursed her lips, blinking away the tears that welled in her eyes.

"I let you do what you want to do during the day. I have not made you give up your stupid books or anything else. I do not even ask you to love me. But by God, _my dear_, you _will _obey me in this room."

She closed her eyes, searching for some shred of strength or dignity in her trembling heart. "Beni..._please,_ just not tonight."

Evelyn could feel his glare in the darkness. A moment passed, his eyes angry and expectant on her face, her gaze focused intently on an ambiguous shape on the floor. His hand slid up to her arm again. His fingers tightened about her flesh in a quick, threatening squeeze.

"Evelyn," he commanded in a strained tone, _"turn over."_

His hand gripped her arm a little harder. She took a deep breath and rolled onto her back, gulping back the sob in her throat. She lay very still, her muscles stiff as her nightgown was pulled from her body. She closed her eyes tightly, responding mechanically as was expected of her. Her mind froze, perfectly incapable of thought until he was finished and falling into a heavy slumber on his side of the bed.

She fumbled through the sheets still warm and sticky with sweat until her fingers grazed the silky fabric of her nightgown. Her body trembled as she got out of bed as quickly and quietly as she could afford. She stepped into her nightgown, silently revelling in the feel of fabric on her skin--delighting in the reinstatement of that boundary between him and her. She crept across the room and slipped out the door, anxious to be as far out of his presence as possible. The tears were welling in her eyes before she even started down the stairs.

Evelyn held off her cries until she was again in the safety of the study, the dimly burning kerosene lamp reminding her of its forgotten presence earlier in the evening. She crawled onto her favorite overstuffed chair, tears already trickling down her cheeks. She buried her face in her arms to muffle the sobs that wracked her body, her mind a blur of her mother's white wedding dress and Beni's painful hands and the kiss Ardeth and Delphine had shared in the drawing room. She allowed her emotions to wrack her body for several minutes, until she felt drained and empty. She labored to regain her ragged breath, and tried to open her eyes. But the first thing she saw was that damned gold ring on her finger, and the fury took her anew. Her hands curled into fists and she wanted to scream.

"It's been some time since I've seen you weep, Evelyn."

The voice startled her, and her body trembled after. She looked up and met her father's eyes with a forced smile, struggling to wipe away her tears.

"Are you alright?"

"You're up awfully late," she commented in a voice that cracked, ignoring his question.

He sighed, shuffling carefully to his favorite leather armchair. He balanced a cup in his hand, brimming with tea and milk (and perhaps a spot of gin), and refused to upset the liquid for the sake of hurrying.

"It's this business with your cousin that's keeping me up," he stated once he had placed the cup safely on the coffee table and settled himself in his seat.

Evelyn's swollen eyes narrowed a little. "Because he's Egyptian?"

Lord Carnahan gazed at her with a proud sort of hurt. "You know better than that, Evy."

She watched him take a sip of his tea and replace it, shaking his head fervently.

"No, it's that she run off and done a thing like this without my consent. She's barely a woman--and you know that Mr. Bay is nearly a dozen years her senior. I just fear for her, is all. She's such an innocent--she's very much a child. And now she's gone and done this on a whim, with absolutely no thought to...to..."

Evelyn glanced at him coolly. "To propriety or security?"

His gray eyes sparked. "Precisely!"

"Father," she reminded cautiously, "that's what you said to me, when Beni came to you for...You told me to consider the propriety and security of the marriage." She took a breath, "Do you remember whose reputation and future we were speaking of?"

Lord Carnahan blinked rapidly a few times before settling a sad but vacant gaze on her face. "I do hope that my career was not a factor in your decision."

_"My_ decision?" Evelyn scoffed. She opened her mouth to say more, but quickly thought better of it and held off her tongue. She started again, mildly: "I married Beni for your sake, because you_ knew_ that you would get appointed governor if your daughter was married to a military figure."

Her father stiffened, and his eyes hardened to a metallic glare. "Don't you put this on me, girl! Don't you sit down here crying and blaming me! I never forced a thing on you! If you're unhappy, it's your own doing!"

Fresh tears began to collect on Evelyn's lashes, and she found herself frustrated with her fear of him. She stared stubbornly away from his face, struggling to regain her composure. She felt his gaze soften, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer as well:

"I know he's far from perfect, Evy. But he's a good man."

The words seared her gut like a brand; defiant thoughts buzzed in her head, longing desperately to be let out. They very nearly tumbled from her mouth, but his voice silenced them, hot on her lips.

"And you're his wife--for good or ill. You have a duty to him. The other person's happiness before your own--that's what a marriage is."

She glanced up, shaking her head in confusion. "But you _never_ treated Mother like--"

He stopped her with a grave look. "You're his _wife,_ Evelyn."

She forced an understanding nod. His face stretched in a pleasant but melancholy smile, and his eyes strayed to the clock on the mantle. With a sigh, he jerked his head towards the ceiling.

"Go back to bed, Evy," he instructed genly. "Leave an old man to his books and tea."

Evelyn reluctantly pulled herself from the chair. She crossed the room and planted a kiss on his brow before starting towards the door.

"It will be better when you start having children," her father added with a smile of what he intended to be comfort.

Evelyn found herself dizzy as she walked up the stairs.


	5. obey the time

_**A Historical Note.** In 1919, the Egyptians organized a rebellion against the British occupation, but were successfully put down by British forces._

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Carnahan Manor: Cairo, 1925_

**obey the time.**

The first lights of day greeted Ardeth pleasantly; it was perhaps the first morning to ever find him in the company of the woman he loved, and the idea of waking next to her sent a thrill humming through his senses. He opened his eyes, satisfied just to see her placid face on the pillow, her dark hair rumpled in disarray all about her, her lips parted slightly. He brushed a few strands from her face and sat up slowly, acutely aware of the springs in the mattress and their noisier tendencies. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, but she didn't wake at his touch. A frown darkened his handsome face; he was impatient to be with her again, to embrace her and feel her embrace in return. But he also didn't want to disturb her from sleep.

He glanced at the antique clock on the bedside table and held back a quiet groan. For reasons still ambiguous (and rather annoying) to him, his boat was set to leave an hour earlier than the one that would carry Beni and Evelyn--and now Delphine, as well. O'Connell would be with him also, and they would meet the mayor of Alexandria and various other figures of importance at the docks. From there, he supposed, they would be whisked off to some pompously English place to discuss his expected duties in a monotonous drone. Just considering the tedium ahead was enough to make the warrior wish he hadn't woken up in the first place.

His eyes strayed to Delphine again. Delphine--_his wife._ She was his, and he belonged to her. The rather commonplace contract was a completely new and exhilarating fascination to him. They were bound to each other, and he found the realization exciting and liberating. His fingers lingered over her face again, and he sighed. Today would be nothing short of imprisonment, but the long hours eventually had to give way to the night.

Ardeth bent close to her face now, his mouth just at her ear. He whispered, very softly, "It is morning, my love."

She moaned, her hand reaching to flick the unnatural breeze of his breath away. But when her fingers collided gently with his face, her mouth turned up in a smile, and her eyes opened slowly.

"Hello," she whispered in a voice hoarse from the hour. He smiled, weaving his fingers through her hair.

"Hello."

Delphine smiled shyly, touching his hand with girlish affection. "Do you have to go soon?"

The happiness faded from his face, and he nodded.

"I don't understand why we can't go together," she commented, disappointment coloring her tone. He shrugged, his face twisting with agitation.

"You will do better--coming in with your cousin. She can help you unpack and get settled. And Beni will be with you..."

Delphine threaded her fingers through his, bringing his knuckles to her lips. "I owe him everything."

Ardeth smiled sadly. "I trust him completely. If he had not been there, looking out for me..." He shook his head, driving the memory from his thoughts. "If we cannot go together, then I am happy you can go with him."

His wife nodded, though her bottom lip jutted in a little pout, and her eyes were far off. He found himself smiling despite the unpleasantness of the situation, and playfully caught up that lip between his own. She let out a surprised little cry and clung to him, obedient to the desires he awakened with his kisses.

* * *

Beni Gabor also found himself awake early that morning. He glared at the gray dawn brightening his window, and then glanced at his wife--still sound in her sleep, resting on her side with her back to him. He didn't pay her any more attention as he pulled himself from the twisted sheets and began to ready himself for the day. 

Evelyn had told him the previous night that she was all packed--which meant, of course, that all of his belongings were packed as well. His one remaining suit hung on the door to the bathroom, waiting for him to dress. He walked past it and opted for a quick shower instead.

He twisted the faucet and hot water began to torrent into the tub, clattering loudly against the porcelain. He tested it on his hand and stepped in, his mind beginning to clink and turn with the thoughts that had been dawning on him the previous night.

It had started around dinner. Well, to be perfectly exact, it had probably begun around a week earlier, when he and O'Connell had been summoned to speak with Ardeth Bay. The general announced that he had been partitioned by Lord Carnahan to oversee the law enforcement at Alexandria; what he had not known was that the partition had come at Beni's insistence. The lord had been complaining of the dedicated Egyptian rebels in Alexandria, and how they seemed completely impossible to reprehend. The mayor of the city had speculated that they might be more sympathetic to a native authority figure, and Beni mentioned Ardeth to his father-in-law. He'd had his own means, of course. The first (and most obvious) was that he was virtually assured the next-highest position--followed shortly by the fact that a career in Alexandria meant he would no longer have a home in Cairo. The past year under Carnahan's roof had been irritating at best; it was all well and good that his wife wanted to attend to her father in his old age and wavering health, but Beni was tired of living under the lord's hawkish glare.

It was a flawless plan...well, at least until Ardeth called them into his office, thanked him profusely for saving his life in that little skirmish, and promptly handed O'Connell a promotion. Beni had kept a calm smile and uttered his gratitude, but he brewed. After all, who was Ardeth Bay to betray _him?_ The dolt rode horses and fought with knives, for the love of God. And Beni had served his time--first in the Legion as penance for a crime, and then as a mercenary for the Brits against the rebels in 1919. His work at infiltrating and manipulating the Egyptians alone had more than earned his prestige, which was to say nothing of the bombings and severe interrogations he orchestrated. Oh, certainly, a few children may have died in the explosions, and an innocent man may have lost a few fingers--but that was war, wasn't it? It had been effective, hadn't it? The British had regained control of their territory, and the upper class was forced to applaud him for his strategic work. A finnicky liberal or two might shake his head in rebuke, but he certainly couldn't deny the results.

And neither could Ardeth Bay. Beni was the ideal choice for a second-in-command, especially when dealing with rebels. And that rat-bastard Arab had gone and handed his position over to an idiot like O'Connell. Yes, Beni had brewed. And he'd brewed when Lord Carnahan invited Ardeth's impotent second to spend the evening before their trip to Alexandria at the Manor. He brewed at supper as he drank his first glass of wine, and his second, and his third. He was boiling by the time he switched to straight vodka, and then...well, he really couldn't recall what happened after that. But somehow he'd ended up at a bar with Jonathan, and it was around the time he saw Ardeth and Delphine on a big black horse, riding for the desert, that sobriety returned to him. And since then, the thoughts had been coming.

Beni turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel to dry himself with. Waking up Lord Carnahan last night--that had just been a ruse. A little bit of antagonistic fun to test what sort of trouble it would cause. He smiled a little to himself as he began to dress. Last night had been lousy, to be sure, but maybe it had not been a total loss.

As soon as he was dressed, Beni hurried downstairs to the dining room. He was surprised to find the table empty of food--no fruit, no breads, no eggs; where the hell was that cook, anyway? His eyes traveled from the disappointing table to the only man seated at it, gazing obliviously out the window, a stupid smile on his face. The fashionable English suit he wore was made from beige linen, and Beni thought it looked ridiculous against the man's dark skin and black hair. Without a word, he took a seat across from his commander, as it were. Ardeth shook off his dreamy smile and looked at him with a friendly expression.

"Good morning, Beni."

The opposite man snorted a little. "It would be better if there was breakfast."

Ardeth chuckled low in his throat, glancing towards the kitchen. "Delphine insisted on making me something. The cook is positively stir-crazy."

Beni leaned over the table a little, inclining his voice towards the kitchen door. "Hey, Mara! Coffee!"

"I hope Delphine is a good cook, for both of our sakes," Ardeth commented, that silly grin threatening his face again. Mara, the cook, lumbered into the room on her wide, clumbsy feet, setting down a steaming cup in front of Beni. She looked at the other man expectantly, but he shook his head, dismissing her.

Beni looked up at the Arabic man again, studying the happy, even ecstatic, contours of his handsome face with hidden interest. After a moment, Ardeth noticed his gaze and turned his attention to the opposite man, his dark eyes glittering with a secret amusement. Beni didn't quite contain his smirk:

"I trust you had a good night last night?" he asked implicatively, his teeth flashing with a knowing snicker. Ardeth tried to restore the usual, dutiful regality to his face:

"Very good." But he could not even manage the words without breaking into a smile. His eyes were lit up like embers, and he even allowed a little joyful laugh in the back of his throat. Beni contained his surprise well. But he had never seen the commander so very...giddy.

"I'm a fool to try and hide it," Ardeth muttered finally, a brilliant smile displaying his fine, white teeth. "Beni, I love that woman more than anything--more than my own life. I've just...I've never known such perfect happiness until now. I feel like such a grinning fool, but I...But you know what I'm speaking of, don't you? Having Evelyn?"

Beni forced a little smile, hiding its falsity in his coffee cup. He swallowed the draught of bitter blackness and nodded. "Of course."

Ardeth started to say more--probably to the effect of praise and fondness in reference to his darling little wife, but Lord Carnahan entered the room at a brisk gait just then, fully dressed and combed. He glanced at the table and frowned, turning his dark and confused expression to the two men already seated.

"Is Mara ill?"

Beni sighed, lifting his cup to his lips. "Delphine's cooking."

The lord grimaced. "Good Lord, really?" He looked Ardeth over sternly. "I do hope your stomach is strong."

Beni stifled his snicker in a sip of coffee. Lord Carnahan resigned himself to his seat at the head of the table, glancing towards the kitchen. "Mara--if you're in there, I'll take my tea."

He looked about the room with a sudden thought. "Where is Mr. O'Connell? He ought to be up."

Beni shrugged and Ardeth held back a chuckle. "He always sleeps late."

"Well, as long as you reach the docks in time, I suppose," the lord grumbled. Just then, Mara supplied his request; Lord Carnahan stirred the hot liquid absently, breaking up the pale clouds of milk with his spoon. "I believe we should speak now, Ardeth, as gentlemen."

Beni leaned back in his chair, pretending to have his mind on other things. His father-in-law glanced at him obviously, but did not ask him to leave. Ardeth leaned forward in interest, meeting Lord Carnahan's eyes with dutiful honesty.

"Yes, sir."

"You've married my niece--the only child of my youngest sister. I'll make it no secret to you--I've always favored the girl. She reminds me of my sister, and I miss her so..." He blinked rapidly, clearing his throat of sentimentality. "Well, as you can guess, in my favor I've spoiled her, and she's run off and married you--without seeking permission or even employing any personal restraint."

Ardeth opened his mouth to protest, to defend, but Lord Carnahan raised his hand and silenced him.

"I know this has come about, and it is finished. And I trust that you are a good man. I pass no judgments on you--it is Delphine we are speaking of. Do you understand me?"

The general nodded. "Yes, sir."

Lord Carnahan sighed. "There is a lot of her mother in that girl. When my sister was barely seventeen, she ran off and married a Frenchman without a farthing in his pocket. My father never spoke to her again. This is not my wish for Delphine; I love her and can forgive her misjudgment. But I believe you should take into consideration what she has done from a dispassionate perspective. She's decieved me, and I have been as a father to her. She could deal the same to you."

Something in the back of Beni's mind clicked, and his eyes may have brightened with epiphany. He swallowed the last bit of his coffee and rose from his seat, just as Delphine brought in breakfast.


	6. traitors ensteeped

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_"The Sudan", a barge: Nile River, 1925_

**traitors ensteeped.**

"I miss water, I think," Rick O'Connell muttered awkwardly, leaning on the railing of the barge. The languid air toyed with the ends of his hair half-heartedly, the sun weighing down on them from above. He scanned the murky, brown water with a strange interest, trying to spot a fish or hippo perusing its depths. He really couldn't see much of anything. "When I was a kid in Chicago--I used to hide on the trolleys and go north, to the docks. It was great, sitting right on the edge of Lake Michigan...I used to think it was the ocean, when I was little. It just seemed like forever."

Ardeth looked up at him thoughtfully, a faint and understanding smile on his face. O'Connell cleared his throat gruffly and shifted his gaze to the reed-covered banks of the Nile, as if wanting to discredit his quiet confession. His commander sighed, his hands tightening on the rail.

"Alexandria is right on the coast, you know," the Arabic man reminded gently. O'Connell shrugged stiffly and pretended to be indifferent. Sensing his uncomfortable position, Ardeth turned his eyes dutifully to his second. "Since we are alone right now, I believe there are certain things we should discuss, Rick."

O'Connell straightened at his change in tone, and glanced up at the opposite man with acute interest. Ardeth was not one to miss the glint of relief in the American's deep blue gaze.

"Alright," O'Connell nodded, ready.

Ardeth ran his tongue over his lips, his eyes flitting to the expanse of water in front of them before returning to Rick. "I think...you are aware that your promotion was not necessarily the...anticipated choice."

The American nodded, a thin laugh escaping under his breath. "You can say that again."

The commander shook his head, thoughts churning obviously beneath his brow. He pursed his lips, and then let out a sigh. "There is no tactful way to say it. When I recieved the commission from the mayor of Alexandria, he requested specifically that Be--Major Gabor not be among my men."

O'Connell's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why's that? Everybody knows the guy's half the reason British homes aren't bombed every other day."

"And too many people know how he went about it," Ardeth responded slowly. He stared gravely into Rick's eyes. "We are being asked to keep the peace, lieutenant, not to fight a war. And the politicians in Alexandria are wary about having someone so well-known...and hated by the natives--in a position of power."

Rick shrugged, mulling over Ardeth's words in his head. "So they're worried that the rebels--I mean, the ones that there are--are more likely to get even than to back off?"

Ardeth sighed. "They do not know what the rebels are inclined to do, which is why Major Gabor is with us at all. I convinced them that his interrogation methods might be the proper intimidation..."

He glanced away, trying to swallow the dryness in his throat. O'Connell watched him carefully, being sure to choose the right words when he quietly asked, "And how do you feel about Beni's, uh, 'methods'?"

Ardeth closed his eyes, his fingers tightening on the railing. When he glanced into the water, a bloated calf, buzzing with flies, floated past the barge. His stomach tightened, and he looked at the lieutenant again.

"I'm sure he was a different man then," he murmured, trying to clear his head. He stared at O'Connell sternly, even glaring a little with defense. "Who were you in 1919--who was I? Barely a year after the end of the Great War, and then there was _that_ mess. Wars are ugly things, Rick--don't we know it best of all? And who was to say that skirmish would not have become another Great War?" Ardeth sighed heavily, a humorless smile on his troubled face. "Ten years ago, a king could be killed without the whole world taking sides. But who knew for certain then?"

O'Connell nodded, turning his gaze to the Nile's waters again. He could feel Ardeth studying him, but he didn't know what the opposite man was looking for. Rick glanced at him a few times distractedly, afraid to answer for his thoughts. Ardeth pressed his lips into a thin line, and stared at him in understanding.

"They were decisions I never would have made," the Arabic man surrendered quietly.

Rick looked relieved, but attempted to hide it from his face. "Me either."

Ardeth leaned against the railing again, his eyes steady on the glittering horizon. He didn't look at his American friend when he told him, "That's why I promoted you."

* * *

_Port of Alexandria: Alexandria, 1925_

The sun was creeping towards the horizon by the time Ardeth and Rick stepped on the docks, lethargic from the boredom of their trip. The mayor himself was awaiting their arrival with all his usual entourage--a tall, severe man with an aristocratic nose and a vague sneer permanently marking his face. He looked them over with his monocle in one gloved hand, extending the other to them in a pert greeting.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I trust that you had a pleasant trip?"

Ardeth assured him that they had. The mayor glanced over him as if for the first time, studying the bold tattoos on his face with a grim frown.

"Well. As I'm sure you're quite aware, I am Lord Chamberlain. You and your ranking officers will be staying with me in the governor's mansion; I assure you, it's most inconvenient for everybody, but it seems the quarters on the base were unfortunately bombed last week." His mouth twisted with the want of a snide smile. "Do not be expecting a warm welcome from Alexandria, sirs."

O'Connell met Ardeth's eyes, and the Arabic man only shrugged his shoulders.

"It is no inconvenience to us," the commander affirmed pleasantly. "We are grateful of your hospitality."

Lord Chamberlain snorted. "Quite."

He motioned to his long, black automobile, and a butler jumped out readily. The man hurried to the back door and opened it. Chamberlain stooped into the car and settled himself before motioning to his guests. Ardeth slipped in easily, and O'Connell followed. The door was shut readily behind him.

"And your men and luggage will be arriving shortly?"

Ardeth smiled genuinely for the first time since that morning. "And my wife, sir."

The lord's brow furrowed momentarily. "I never heard that you wed."

"That's 'cause it happened last night," O'Connell put in. Lord Chamberlain snorted again, glancing at the road through the windshield. "Well. Congratulations. I am sure she is quite charming."

The commander tried to subdue his grin._ "Quite."_


	7. a most profane and liberal counselor

_

* * *

_

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Port of Alexandria: Alexandria, 1925_

**a most profane and liberal counselor.**

The barge that carried Delphine to her husband arrived later than expected, much to the exasperation of the driver awaiting her and her companions at the docks. The young wife sat impatiently in the car, watching the driver and a handful of servants working to unload the luggage and pile it into another vehicle. The soldiers under her husband's command had marched away some time ago; she imagined that even now they were settling in their barracks while she was stuck here. She was anxious to see Ardeth again, resentful that they had been forced to spend their first day as man and wife apart from one another.

"God, they're taking forever," Beni groaned from the opposite side of the car.

Evelyn sat stiffly between her husband and cousin, and turned her attention to him sharply. "Then perhaps you ought to give them a hand."

He snorted. "What do I look like to you? That's their job; I am not a servant."

Her eyebrows rose; Evelyn folded her arms over her chest and muttered, "Well I suppose I might mistake you for an able-bodied man."

Beni's scoff was loud and even whiny. He pulled his eyes from the incompetent servants to his wife with something like bored contempt glinting in his eyes.

"Do you know something, Evelyn? Do you want to know something?"

She may have begun to murmur, "Not really," but his voice interjected much too soon:

"You are a lousy wife."

Delphine turned her head to look at the pair of them, not quite certain whether she ought to be galled or simply amused. She laughed nervously. "Oh, surely you don't mean that, Beni--"

"Oh, please!" Evelyn huffed, "What do you know about being a wife?"

He glared at her indignantly. "I know what a wife is for. I know what all women are for--"

"And what is that?" Delphine put in plaintively. Something in her heart was restless, and she felt uncomfortable witnessing their spat. Beni leaned around to look at her, disregarding Evelyn for the moment. He smiled grimly.

"Let me tell you. A wife used to be for cooking, but she hired a cook for that. And a wife used to be for cleaning, but she was given maids. She used to do the laundry, until she got a laundress--and she even once took care of her children, but then she found a nurse--"

"Does this eventually reach a point of some kind?" Evelyn cut in wearily.

Beni shot her a look, pronouncing sternly, "Wives are for their husbands--and that is why you are a lousy wife."

His smug smile brightened as the driver got in the car, engaging the ignition. His wife merely sighed, looking at Delphine emphatically. "Don't listen to him."

She looked between the married pair cautiously, trying to read the expressions on their faces. They did not glance at each other, did not smile appologetically or secretly, disregarding their remarks to each other as harmless jests. When Beni shifted in his seat, his leg grazed Evelyn's, and she startled from his touch. Delphine swallowed, trying to make sense of it.

"I-I suppose you two bicker quite a lot like this...and it's all in good fun, isn't it? You do love each other very much?" she asked in a voice that trembled like an uncertain child's.

Beni sighed, and Evelyn looked down at her hands. "Yes," she managed in a voice that faltered. "Very much."

Delphine thought her cousin sounded very sad, or perhaps only very tired. A strange sense of fear wrapped its cold fingers around her heart as she sat beside the stubborn couple: a wife who disdained her husband's leg to touch hers and a husband who would not look at his wife. How could they treat each other so, after only a year? Surely they had been enthralled with one another at one time...Delphine had only been living with her uncle for the past two months, since completing finishing school. She had been present at Evelyn's wedding--at Christmas last year, over holiday--but she had not been given the opportunity to get very well acquainted with Beni. But even so--Evelyn must have known him, and liked him well enough to marry him. So how could they be so bitter towards one another, and so early? And if it had happened to them, then..._Well,_ she resolved strongly_, it won't happen to Ardeth and me!_

She was thinking all of these things as the car pulled to the front of the governor's mansion--a large, white structure that reminded her of the boarding school she had attended in Paris. The driver opened the door and offered her his hand, and she stepped out into the cool evening, the light of the moon beginning to glow dimly in the changing sky. She rushed ahead of Evelyn and Beni to the door, impatient to see her husband again. But when she burst into the drawing room, she was disappointed to find Rick O'Connell, sitting alone in a chair.

Beni walked in calmly behind Delphine, his mind and body irritable from exhaustion. He saw O'Connell in his fine suit and his placid expression, and hated him.

"Where is he?" Delphine demanded breathlessly. "Is he here?"

Rick shook his head. When he caught a glimpse of Evelyn, peering around her husband, his eyes kindled--unbeknownst to himself. "They're still going over procedure with him. They made me leave...But they'll all be back for supper."

Evelyn sank into the sofa opposite Rick, and Delphine reluctantly joined her. He smiled a little at the three of them, and Beni found himself noticing, for the first time, what a handsome man Rick O'Connell was. Beni was by no means the kind to go around ogling other men--but he had to admit, there was a certain...power, a certain masculinity about O'Connell's presence. The American noticed his stare, and shot him a curious look. Beni cleared his throat and crossed the room quickly, taking a seat. He glanced at Rick out of the corner of his eye--watched his teeth flash when he asked about the ladies' trip, and saw the glimmer in their eyes. The bastard could probably get them both into bed, if he wanted--

Beni drew a little gasp, unheard by his companions. The thoughts were assaulting him now, fitting together with a precision that baffled him. There it was, so easy and ready before him. God, _there it was!_

"Good evening."

The unfamiliar voice dragged him back to reality. Beni glanced up to see a woman standing in the wide doorway that let onto the dining room. She seemed hurried and stern, her mouse-colored hair tied in a messy bun at the nape of her neck, the apron about her thin waist spattered with flour. She looked round at them with her large, dark eyes and forced a tired smile.

"I am Bianca Semyonov--I am in charge of the house," she spoke with deliberation, as one not yet certain of her control over the language. "Forgive my...appearance. The cook is gotten sick and I am preparing supper with the maids." She took a breath. "Would you care for some tea?"

Beni looked the small woman over carefully. She felt his eyes and smiled at him nervously. "Semyonov. Then you are from Russia?"

Bianca nodded. "I am from St. Petersburg."

_"Then pour some vodka in my tea,"_ he requested in Russian with a smirk. Her little face lit with joy and surprise. She sputtered, "of course, of course," and hurried out of the room to see to it.

O'Connell's eyebrows rose, impressed. "What'd you say to her?"

Beni shrugged easily. "I asked for tea."

Before the man could comment in turn, Bianca was back, serving the tea herself and babbling in her native language. She smiled at him and blessed him because it had been so long, so long since she had had anyone to speak with in Russian, and she hoped he didn't mind her being so candid, she hoped he didn't pay any mind to her appearance, that cook was an oaf--a real cow--but excuse her, excuse her! She knew much better than to chatter at men of his rank, at a gentleman like himself. It wouldn't happen again, sir, it wouldn't--

_"моя бог!_ I am forgetting!" she exclaimed, her face flushing with color. "Lord Chamberlain would like a proper supper, and you must get ready in your rooms. Supper is at eight o'clock."

O'Connell glanced at his wrist watch. "I'm ready, I guess...but you ladies have an hour."

Evelyn and Delphine stood up slowly. Beni took a sip of tea and got on his feet. "I should bathe."

Bianca showed them upstairs, to their quarters. Beni closed the door, thanking the servant in Russian--much to her excitement. His wife rifled through the luggage on the floor until she found something, and carried it with her to the bathroom. She hung the dress on the door and stepped inside. Beni took a seat on a chair and set his cup and saucer on the desk, listening to Evelyn run the water in the bathtub. He did not protest her bathing first; she would take longer to get ready, anyway.

"Rick O'Connell is a nice man," he commented loudly.

She leaned out of the bathroom, her brow furrowed at him curiously. "I suppose so..."

"I wonder why he is not married," Beni continued nonchalantly. "Don't women like him?"

Evelyn masked her startlement with a thoughtful frown. "What sort of question is that?"

He shrugged. "Well...do you like him? Does Delphine?"

Evelyn swallowed. "He is a nice man," she managed carefully. "A gentleman."

She turned from the doorway and found herself breathless, her heart pounding against her ribs. What was he saying? What was he accusing her of? Carefully, she peeked out the door and glanced at her husband, but he sat in placid thought. She let out an uneasy sigh, going back to the tub and turning off the water. If he was trying to toy with her, he would have been more obvious about it. He was not so clever as he believed himself to be.

Evelyn pursed her lips, steeped her in own suspicions. She leaned around the door again. "Is this your way of saying you've forgiven him--for the promotion?"

Beni sat up a little, a strange expression passing over his face. He grinned suddenly, and met her eyes. "Yes. You are right. He is a nice man."

She nodded and slipped away from the door again, finally settling herself into the tub. She frowned as she began to wash herself, uneasy despite the apparent face-value of his words. A moment later, she heard his footsteps on the carpet, the creaking of the door, and he stood in the bathroom. She glanced up at him indignantly as he leaned against the sink, showing no signs of leaving with any immediacy.

"I'm nearly finished--"

"I know," he muttered darkly. "I just want to watch you."

She huffed a sigh. "Why? Can't I bathe myself? Do I get no privacy?"

Beni's jaw tightened. His fingers drummed a rapid tune on the sink, and stopped just as suddenly. "What are we doing here, Evelyn?"

She swallowed and stared at the soapy water. "You recieved the comission, and I followed--"

"But what are we _doing?"_

Evelyn could feel her throat closing with a little sob; she shook her head and looked at him bravely. "I don't know."

His lips pressed into a thin line, and he lowered his head a little. The steam from the bath was clinging to his skin, making him uncomfortable. And his presence kept her from attempting to leave the tub. She was trapped...in this room, in her nakedness, in this marriage, in this same, tattered argument that always had to surface at the most inconvenient times. Sometimes she drudged up the question--tonight, it was him. _What are we doing here?_ And she wondered what empty answer would be the cure-all now.

"I am going to ask you to not contradict me in public."

She frowned, her eyes reflecting her puzzlement. "In public?"

_"Tonight,"_ he told her more sternly, "you will not talk to me like you did in front of your cousin. You will not make a fool of me."

Evelyn could feel her heart pounding in her chest again, a smoky heat clouding her lungs and her mind. She clenched her teeth, and she struggled to regain control of her quickening breath. She could feel angry tears stinging her eyes as she turned her glare to him.

"You don't need me to make a fool of yourself!" she huffed. Her gaze bore defiantly into his, expecting the worst and asking for it. She hated him in that moment, like so many moments...too many moments. But he did not take a step to strike her, his voice did not rise in a threat. He pointed at the door.

"When you are ready to end it, my dear, just speak the words."

They watched each other, grappling for an upperhand. Evelyn could feel the thought, white-hot at the front of her mind, screaming to be uttered. She imagined herself saying it, heard the contempt and defiance in her voice as she told him to leave, told him she didn't want him anymore--that she'd never, _never_ wanted him. But she breathed a sigh instead and began to lift herself from the tub, reaching quickly for a towel to shield her body from his eyes.

"Propriety and security," she muttered under her breath.

Beni looked defeated as he began to undress.


	8. acts of love and devotion

_**A Historical Note.** So before my dear evolutionist friends throw a hissy fit about a misinterpretation of Darwin, etc. and so forth--it is important to note that many racists, particularly at this time, have used the theory of evolution to support the idea that some races of people are further developed, or "evolved," than others. Whether that's a misinterpretation or not--I'm going to tell you now, I don't know. I haven't read Darwin. I didn't pay much attention in my bogus science classes, either. I know the basic theory, and I know it's been used to argue that a superior race of people exists. _

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandra, 1925_

**acts of love and devotion.**

Rick O'Connell's hand was wavering between the two forks set in front of him (and beginning to feel like an idiot for it) when the women floated down the staircase. He glanced at Ardeth as the hems of their skirts became visible; the commander had been itching to go upstairs and see his wife, but the officials had appropriately restrained him, reminding (because, of course, they were not in mixed company yet) that there was certainly no time for the reunion of newlyweds before supper. Beni was quiet for the most part, having already downed his first flute of champagne, and was waiting impatiently for his next. Rick himself hadn't taken more than a sip; he didn't like the bubbling liquid--he didn't much like anything alcoholic in general. For a man of his size, he could not hold his liquor well--and while champagne was far from the most potent drink, he intended to make this first cup his last.

He saw Ardeth's throat jerk with a little swallow, and his anticipatory smile melt into the enchanted expression of one hypnotized. Rick glanced towards the staircase again, and something inside him went numb with awe.

He was paralyzed when the other men stood in the ladies' presence, pulling out chairs as they floated to the table. Delphine in her sparkling white gown embraced her husband without restraint; the others may have chuckled half-heartedly at their display--Rick wasn't paying attention. His eyes were transfixed on Evelyn: slipping into her seat with a candid poise, laughter lighting her face when her cousin showed such affection, her lingering smile..._God,_ when she smiled. He didn't know enough about such things as clothes and skintones to realize that it was her olive-colored silk gown that made her eyes look so brilliantly green...nor was he aware enough of the candlelight to recognize that it made her face so glowing and golden. He could only look, without reason or sense. He saw her glance at her husband...watched his arm move close to her body as he leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Rick could see, in his head, the way those thin, knotty fingers were sliding slowly over the fabric, up and down the warm length of her thigh. And suddenly that numb place within him began to throb with pain.

He tried to turn his attention to something else. His gaze jerked up to the head of the table, where Lord Chamberlain was seated. He was suggesting grace, and glancing over the table with a distinctly disgusted expression. His eyes landed on Ardeth, and then Rick and Beni.

"I do hope that no one here is adverse to a _Protestant _prayer."

O'Connell shrugged, and Ardeth assured him he had no qualms. Beni frowned a little, but said nothing as he folded his hands and lowered his head. Chamberlain began, and his officials immediately joined in; among the voices, Rick could very distinctly make out Beni speaking as well:

_"Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest  
Let these gifts to us be blessed  
Amen."_

Rick glanced up at him in surprise, but Beni merely shrugged, a smug smile on his face. As the first course was served, Lord Chamberlain turned his superior gaze to their end of the table.

"Major Gabor," he pronounced in a falsely conversational tone, "I couldn't help but noticing your unique accent. Where do you come from, originally?"

Beni unfolded his napkin and lay it across his lap. "Budapest," he answered quietly.

Chamberlain leaned forward and asked him to repeat himself. Beni's jaw clenched and unclenched, and he told him again, louder. The mayor held back his smirk and picked up his salad fork.

"I might have guessed," he responded with premeditated ease. "I was a warden in a POW camp during the Great War, as you may have heard. We had quite a few of you--what is it you call your countrymen? My mind fails me."

Beni took a deep breath and refused to answer. Lord Chamberlain delighted in the uncomfortable silence before continuing:

"Well, whatever the case, we were stock-full of Hungarians and Germans. I recieved the comission, of course, because I achieved my Masters in German--at Harvard, no less. I wanted to attend university in Germany, but my mother has family in Boston, so naturally..."

His voice began to fade into a tedious buzz. O'Connell glanced at Beni and saw the distasteful set of his jaw, his stiff posture. He turned his eyes to see how Evelyn had taken the subtle remarks against her husband, and she met his gaze with a helpless expression. He opened his mouth to whisper something, but he heard his name sift through the murmurs. He glanced up and his gaze collided with the harsh depths of Chamberlain's stare.

"...Have you ever been to Boston?"

Rick shifted a little in his seat. "No, sir. I haven't."

"Well," Chamberlain sniffed. "It's very decent in parts, but it's really quite impossible to avoid all the Irish squalor. Some of the neighborhoods are positively galling. And you can imagine the sort of people who come out of such filth!"

O'Connell stared at the Englishman, and he stared back--his expression unmoved from its cold politeness. Evelyn cleared her throat uncomfortably and glanced at her husband. The American from the southside of Chicago held down the rage boiling up inside of him and forced a shrug.

"No, sir. I can't imagine."

The lord sighed, his eyes shifting away from the lieutenant now to the commander. Rick watched him cautiously. It was one thing to make subtle, sharp little remarks about him and Beni--it was another thing entirely to demean Ardeth Bay. Rick glanced across the table and caught Beni's eye, and something silent and certainly kindred passed between them as Chamberlain noted:

"Yet I must be fair--those criminals in Boston are true gentlemen when compared to these roaming the streets in Alexandria. I daresay Darwin and his contemporaries may have found something of note. Some classes of people are just more animal than others. Are you familiar with the theory of evolution, General Bay?"

Ardeth glanced up at him in distraction, and the lord's expression soured a little when he realized that the commander had hardly given him an ear. Evelyn and O'Connell shared a relieved glance; Beni looked precarious, leaning forward a little in his seat. Ardeth flashed a devilish smile at his wife before meeting Chamberlain's eyes with a vaguelly chill calm.

"Pardon me. I couldn't hear you."

Lord Chamberlain opened his mouth, but Evelyn's voice cut him off. She forced an embarrassed smile. "Excuse me, sir, for interrupting. But I am curious--is German the only other language you've studied?"

His expression altered to something pompous and rather ridiculous. "Oh, of course not, Mrs. Gabor. I've studied Latin...as everyone knows, one must learn Latin in order to understand language at all--"

O'Connell's brow furrowed in the mocking of interest, turning his glance from the lord to Beni. "Did you ever study Latin?"

The Hunyak snorted. Lord Chamberlain held back a belittling laugh. Rick grinned at him benignly. "Sorry. See, I was just wondering, because--how many languages do you speak, Lord Chamberlain?"

His posture straightened. "Five, including English."

"Ah," O'Connell shrugged, unimpressed. The lord frowned in offense.

"And how many do_ you_ speak, Lieutenant?"

The American kind of chuckled to himself. "Oh, really just the one. I can get by in Arabic if I gotta, but I couldn't sit and have a conversation."

Lord Chamberlain's mouth twisted superiorly. "I see."

He reached for his flute of champagne and brought it to his lips, taking a long sip. O'Connell glanced across the table, catching Evelyn's eye. She smiled faintly, and he nodded, quickly resuming his nonchalance.

"Major Gabor here can speak nine."

The mayor choked on his wine and began to cough violently. His officials glanced at him in concern; Rick glanced across the table and Beni acknowledged him with an amused grin. He winked and turned his attention to Lord Chamberlain.

_"Are you alright?"_ he asked in German.

He struggled to regain his composure, and met Beni's gaze with a watery glare. His voice stumbled hoarsely over the words, "Well. I must say you are a colorful lot."

Beni's insides were clenched; he hated that pompous ass for insulting him, but that was a mild instance in comparison to everything that had been hurled at him in his lifetime. It was certainly less than what Ardeth had done to him. He looked at the man now, and saw the gratitude gleaming in his eyes. Those dark eyes flitted quickly to Delphine's; the quiet and pretty and innocent young bride, lovely Delphine. Beni's mind was abuzz behind his expressionless face. He took a breath and rose from his seat, smiling kindly at the mayor. _I am not what I am,_ he told himself firmly.

"Are you leaving, Major Gabor?" Lord Chamberlain managed to croak.

Beni smiled. "Perhaps Lieutenant O'Connell and I should go check in with the troops."

He glanced at Rick emphatically, and he jumped to his feet. _You will be dead. I will make sure of it. _"Good idea."

Ardeth began to stand up as well, but Beni shook his head. Delphine gazed up at her husband with her pretty blue eyes, begging him to stay behind. _I will fuck you. _"Please, darling, there's already two of them going--"

"We can handle it, sir," Beni put in. "You have not seen her all day."

Ardeth smiled thankfully. But rather than sitting down again, he offered Delphine his hand. _You will wish you had never been born. _Beni and Rick said their goodbyes and left; the echo of the door slamming shut behind them echoed through the room. Evelyn found herself quite alone as her cousin took Ardeth's hand. She excused herself as well, determined to find Lord Chamberlain's library or study.

Delphine watched her leave, and then turned her eyes to her husband. Anticipation swelled within her chest as she stood up; she barely heard herself wish the gentlemen a good night. She was exhilerated by the glass of champagne and the gentle touch of his calloused hand as she hurried up the stairs. She started to pull Ardeth towards their room, but he was the stronger. He wrapped her in his embrace, a moan aching from his throat as their lips finally met. The day had been too long, too long. His hands brushed her face and strayed to her hair, tugging the locks loose of pins. She pressed closer to him, her nails sharp and urgent on the back of his neck. She needed to feel the solid strength of his arms and chest, needed him to hold her. His lips broke from her kiss, breathless, and she smiled faintly at him, her glance flitting obviously away. He followed her gaze to the door, and traced his eyes back to hers again.

"Can we go inside?" she asked shyly.

His Adam's apple jerked a little, but he tried to stave off his desires for a moment longer. "It is your custom...for me to carry you over the threshhold."

Delphine swallowed, struggling to regain her breath as she nodded her head. He grinned thoughtfully, and swept her into his arms. She gave out a little cry at his suddenness, laughing as he kicked open the door. He laughed with her, at the sheer joy of having her and the night, all to himself. He took a few steps just inside the dark room, and stopped. Something cold slithered down his back, and he was rooted to his place. The bed stood before them, waiting, inviting. The moonlight pooled on its pale surface, spilling across pillows like white stormclouds. He felt the warmth of her in his arms, her flesh firm beneath the thin, sparkling fabric. Her breath was loud against the quiet within, and her blue gaze was impatient and curious against his face. He looked down at her, her lips quivering with the words she seemed to be searching for.

She touched the side of his face carefully. "What's the matter, Ardeth?"

He shook his head, smiling uneasily. He pressed a kiss against her forehead as he kicked the door closed behind them. "Nothing. Everything is perfect, now."

Delphine smiled back at him, running her fingers over the coarse surface of his beard. The sharp, masculine set of his jaw enticed her...had enticed her since the moment she first saw him. She pulled his face close to hers and kissed him with trembling lips, yet uncertain if she ought to feel the desire boiling up within her. His eyes opened and that odd gleam was gone, a flame kindled in his gaze. His breath was reaching a feverish rate, matching the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat. She leaned in to kiss him again, and he caught her lips in his forceful embrace, his tongue tangling with hers in a sweep of passion. His blood thudded hot in his veins, and he staggered urgently to the bed. He lay her on the broad comforter and set quickly to undressing--throwing off his jacket, unbuttoning his shirt. Delphine sat up and pulled herself to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck and inviting him into her kiss, begging him to envelop her in their whirling emotions. He relieved her of control, and she gave herself over to him and her desires and the night. Her fingers slid over his shoulders, pushing the suspenders down his arms and off of his body. The taste of his breath was dizzying, and she only vaguely felt the straps of her dress brush her skin, and the fabric slide off of her. He gently pulled out of her embrace to remove his pants, and then joined her on the bed, relishing in the ectasies of her body and her love.


	9. sense and duty

_

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_

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The White Camel, a bar: Alexandria, 1925_

**sense and duty.**

Initially, Rick didn't like Beni's idea about taking the squadron to a casbah.

But he also didn't like the idea of them running amock on their first night in town, either. It was a given that soldiers always found their own means of nightly entertainment, and, so long as they made it to role call promptly in the morning, he wasn't opposed to it. Rick O'Connell was their lieutenant, not their babysitter. At the same time, he was keenly aware of the situation; they were here to enforce the law...and he knew military police did not have the same luxuries that soldiers were granted. What a man did in his free time was his business, certainly...but the city of Alexandria had to respect them, had to look on them as the good guys. And if men who were supposed to be upholding the law during the day were seen hiring prostitutes at night, then they were undercutting their own control. More importantly, they were undermining Ardeth...and their commander had enough unfair strikes against him.

Rick sighed, leaning against a barstool as Beni ordered a round. He shook his head at the glass offered to him by the barkeep, his gut twisting with apprehension and even disgust. Beni had had a point, back at the base, and that unnerved him a little. As they stood up in front of the men, all gathered in the dining hall, the major had leaned over and whispered, "They look kind of angry, don't they?" The grim faces had glared at them with a silent question; they wondered where Ardeth was, why he hadn't come to greet them himself, as he always had. They were certainly logical enough to accept the rights of a man to his wife, but a suspicion gleamed in their eyes. Why wouldn't their commander come to see them? How much time would they really take away from his young bride? It was a simple greeting...a tradition amongst brothers in the battlefield. It was a trifle, but that hardly meant it was nothing.

And so Beni had suggested the bar, to toast their brave leader on his good fortune. The men had accepted the olive branch with much enthusiasm, and Rick had kept his mouth shut when he usually would've spoken.

An elbow was jabbing him in the side, and he glanced up at Beni in irritation. "What?"

He grinned at the array of waiting eyes, straining through his teeth, "Toast."

"This was your big idea--"

"You're the lieutenant," he retorted, a bitter note resounding in his voice. "So pick up the goddamn glass and say something."

O'Connell cleared his throat and reached for the glass on the counter. He held it up, scanning the men's faces with a forced smile. "To our commander, Ardeth Bay--may he, uh...God bless his marriage."

He tipped the glass reluctantly against his lips, hearing the half-hearted cheer echo his words. Beni turned to the barkeep and ordered a second round. He shot Rick a glare as he held up his glass.

"To General Bay--may our night be as good as his!"

The first whiskey was still searing Rick's throat when he had to down the second. He heard the laughter around him, the cheers and the hollers. He glanced at Beni and watched him grin at the barkeep, telling him to keep 'em coming. Rick shook his head...he shouldn't have any more. But Beni only laughed and whispered something to the man behind the bar.

Rick's head was buzzing already, and the dark world seemed to swirl with faces and noise and alcohol. He steadied himself against the bar and struggled to pull himself onto the stool. Suddenly Beni was there beside him, a quizzical expression on his face.

"Are you doing alright?" he asked, a note of mockery in his tone. "Do we need to cut you off?"

O'Connell swallowed and shook his head numbly. "I'm done for the night."

Beni snorted, motioning to the bartender. "I swear, my wife holds her liquor better than you!"

Rick tried to blink the watery fuzziness from his vision. "Well good for her."

Two glasses were place before them, filled with a strange, lime-colored liquid. Rick stared at it for a moment before his eyes traveled up to Beni's.

"I said I don't want any more."

He sighed loudly, pushing one of the glasses closer. "One more."

Rick's brow furrowed darkly. "What the hell difference does it make to you if I want to stop drinking?"

Beni shrugged. "It does not make a difference to me."

"Alright. Good."

He sat in silence, fighting to regain control of the blurriness in his mind. Beni sat quietly beside him, his eyes drifting over the men. His gaze slowly returned to Rick.

"I bought you that drink, though. And it is expensive."

O'Connell glanced at the liquid again. "What is it?"

Beni grinned at him, picking up his glass. The dim light passed through the translucent liquid, glittering like a beacon in the dull room. "This, my friend, is the Green Fairy. You will like her if you give her a go."

Rick ran his finger over the brim thoughtfully. He'd heard that term before, "the Green Fairy." But, as a man who didn't often drink, he wasn't familiar enough with alcohol to recall where. He pursed his lips.

"Is it strong?"

Beni frowned dismissively and shook his head. Rick stared at him skeptically, but he only brought the glass to his lips and took a little sip. O'Connell sighed and picked up his glass.

"Fine. But this is it. I don't want anything else."

Beni didn't say anything as he watched Rick rid himself of the liquor in one, quick throw down his throat. He watched his eyes fill with painful tears, and his body totter on the barstool. Beni scoffed. He walked easily across the room, his eyes picking out a lonely Arabic man huddled in the back. He didn't make it passed the center of the room, however, when a hand snaked out and caught his arm.

"I say--is that absinthe in your hand?"

He glanced down, meeting a familiar set of blue eyes in surprise. "What the hell are you doing here, Jonathan?"

But the other man's eyes were still captivated by the gleaming green drink. "That'll put some hair on your chest..."

"I already have hair on my chest," Beni retorted in mild confusion, casting another glance at the Arab across the room. Jonathan burst into a fit of laughter, slapping his thigh heartily.

"It's an old saying, my boy!" he explained jovially. Beni snorted and thoughtfully lowered himself into the chair beside his brother-in-law.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again. Jonathan's silly smile drooped a little; he touched his half-empty glass in perplexion. Beni watched him for a moment before resolving that he wasn't going to get an answer. "You are supposed to be in Cairo, with your father."

Jonathan sighed. "Yes, well...I've decided to take a holiday."

Beni's brow furrowed skeptically. _"Here?"_

"Well, I've always believed one must be near his heart's desire to be happy," he muttered, his eyes wandering dreamily with his muddled thoughts.

Beni rolled his eyes, lifting his glass cautiously to his lips. "You can drink anywhere, Jonathan," he breathed sarcastically, tipping back a tiny trickle of the potent liquid.

Jonathan's gaze turned to his wildly, wide and glazed with drunken tears. He leaned far over the table, shaking his head frantically. "No, no, no. It's a woman I love!"

"Who's that?"

He looked at the table in embarrassment, his cheeks flushing...but probably just with drink. "It's not right of me. I shouldn't."

Beni's eyebrows rose with interest; he looked at him curiously. "A man should love who he wants," he stated with intentional neutrality. The words mulled about between Jonathan's ears for a time before he could nod his head in agreement.

"Yes, I suppose so..."

"So who is it?"

Jonathan let his head land hopelessly on the table with a soft thud. His voice was muffled through the noise of the bar. "My own cousin...Delphine." He looked up plaintively, and was relieved to see that Beni's expression hadn't changed at all. "Do you think me a blackguard for it?"

His brother-in-law shook his head. "She's a beautiful woman."

A strange grin sprawled across Jonathan's boyish face; he nodded absently. Beni wasn't entirely surprised. The night before, when he had spotted Delphine and Ardeth riding off, Jonathan's reaction had been much too explosive for a man who was only concerned about a family member's well-being. It had been his idea to wake Lord Carnahan in the middle of the night; and he had drunk an entire bottle of gin in the time it took them to reach the manor. He had been like a spurned lover--and now he confirmed that it was so. Beni held back a pleased smile; he disregarded the Arab completely and set his attention fully on Jonathan.

"I just...I'm not the sort of man to come between a husband and wife, you know, but...Well, but is she alright? Is she quite happy?"

Beni held back a snort, wanting to remind Jonathan snidely that it had barely been a day since he'd last seen his cousin. But Beni thought better of it and let his expression fall, sliding the glass of absinthe across the table to his brother-in-law with a melancholy sigh.

"Here," he muttered. "You need this more than I do."

He could feel Jonathan's buggy gaze on him, itching with anticipation. He gripped the glass in his fist greedily, tapping the fingers of his other hand on the table. "Well go on! Go on! What's the matter? Is Ardeth cruel to her?"

Beni shook his head. "You'd better drink up."

Jonathan ran his tongue over his lips and picked up the glass, his eyes filled with apprehension as he downed the drink. He coughed heavily, his eyes brimming with tears. He blinked rapidly and forced a smile.

"Potent stuff," he managed in a hoarse tone. His body reeled in the chair, and he struggled to maintain his balance. "So what's the problem...with Delphine?"

Beni swallowed, noticing the weight of Jonathan's eyelids on his gaze. If he didn't hurry this up, both of them would be unconscious on the dirty floor, and he'd be out on his plan.

"Well, it's not as if Ardeth knows..." He leaned closer, whispering, "But Rick O'Connell has been making advances on the poor girl."

Jonathan's expression darkened with drunken rage. "The bastard!"

Beni nodded gravely. He looked up, as if his eyes were just now catching something. "Well, that son of a bitch. He is here right now."

Jonathan whirled around, fumbling to pull himself out of his chair. Beni sat back with a smug smile, watching with a certain pleasure as his brother-in-law trudged dizzily to the bar. He couldn't have planned this better if he'd used the Arab. Within seconds, Rick was taking a swing at the Englishman, the Green Fairy working her menace on his mind. It would be a wonder if the men even knew where they were--much less what they were engaging in. Jonathan hit the floor with a bone-cracking thud, and Rick's body collapsed beside him. The men were laughing all around, but Beni's expression soured. He had a problem on his hands now.

With a determined sigh, he hopped to his feet and went to the bar. He asked the barkeep for a phone and offered him ten pounds to use it; the man agreed and ushered him to an office in the back. Beni called a cab, asking that the driver arrive immediately. He waited about five minutes and called the same number, asking that another cab arrive in about twenty minutes.

He returned to the bustle of the bar and knelt beside Jonathan. Rick had blackened his eye, and a little dribble of blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. Beni shook his head, unsatisfied. He reached into the holster at his hip and found his pistol. He bludgeoned Jonathan's face a few times with the butt of the gun. The unconscious man groaned in pain, waking feebly with the shock of contact. Beni slipped the pistol discreetly back into its holster, smiling sadly at his brother-in-law.

"It will be alright. We are going back to the Governor's Mansion, and we will see Evelyn--your sister, and Delphine--"

Jonathan blinked dazedly, drifting back towards the blackness taking his mind. "Delphine..."

A cab driver arrived at the door, and Beni got to his feet, motioning at Rick's bulky form. The driver shot him a glare, but helped him haul O'Connell to his feet, dragging his half-sleeping form outside. They shoved him in the backseat and Beni paid the driver, instructing him to take Rick to the Governor's Mansion. As the car drove off, Beni hurried back inside to wait beside Jonathan until the next cab arrived.

He closed his eyes and sighed wearily, attempting to rub away the migraine forming in his temples.


	10. the robbed that smiles

_Author's Note: So it's been forever; I apologize. Life is occasionally ridiculous. But, I'm back, and I do hope you enjoy this next chapter! As always, I appreciate your insights and comments!_

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925_

**the robbed that smiles.**

Evelyn stepped out of the bathroom, her muscles tensed. She glanced about the room and breathed a sigh of relief: thank God, Beni was not home yet. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and let out a long breath. She knew she ought to go to bed, but her mind was much too alert to succumb to sleep. Crossing the room, she lowered herself to the bed, resting her hand on the book on the table. Her fingers traced the embossed title thoughtfully. She didn't really want to read. She didn't want to do much of anything. Her thoughts drifted back over the evening, but she felt numb to them. Even as she recalled her conversation with Beni in the bath hours earlier, she seemed emotionless. _I am going to ask you to not contradict me in public...You will not make a fool of me._

Her throat tightened suddenly, and she wanted to cry. Her eyes didn't well with tears, however. She huffed a frustrated sigh and threw the book across the room. She was tired of crying, of weeping, of feeling weak and powerless. She told herself she didn't want to cry. Maybe she couldn't manage it any longer. Evelyn jumped to her feet and crossed the room to the desk.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing until the pen was in her hand and she was scrawling angry letters across the stationery. She clenched her teeth and wrote furiously:

_Beni,  
It's over. It never was. I hate you and I'm leaving. I'll never return--and it doesn't matter where I'm going, because I never want you to find me. You're an awful man and I hate you. You're going to hell for what you did to those Arab rebels, and I know that if I have to spend another minute around you, you'll drag me down with you. I hate you. I never loved you. I don't want your children. I'll never have your children. I'm leaving and I'm not coming back. You can consider me dead._

Evelyn's hand froze over the paper. Her fingers tightened on the pen, and she took a deep breath. She read over the words she had written and snorted bitterly. It sounded so primitive, so childish. It was a temper tantrum on paper, and it looked silly. Had she really intended to tell him he was going to hell? And how many times, _really_, did she need to write that she hated him? Evelyn shook her head and crumpled the paper in her hands. With a defeated sigh, she tossed it in the trash can.

She went back to the bed and sat down, embarrassed with herself. She'd written about leaving him, about going some place where he would never find her. Where was that? Where could she even go without his money? Evelyn glared at her fingernails, feeling stupid. What was she thinking? He would have laughed to find such a note. He would have never taken it seriously--

Paranoia stabbed at her gut suddenly, and she jumped to her feet. Evelyn hurried to the trash can and pulled out the crumpled letter. Even if it was silly, it would be better if he did not know of it at all. She went back to the bed and turned on the kerosene lamp on the bedside table. She unfurled the paper and pushed it into the glass bulb, into the flame. The fire blackened the paper and consumed her words, silencing her anguish. She watched the ink of the final sentence bubble and burn, and her breath caught.

_You can consider me dead._

A strange, tingling feeling crept up Evelyn's spine. The back of her throat was suddenly very dry, and her hands were shaking. She clasped them together in her lap and gritted her teeth together. She breathed steadily through her nose and tried to push the dark thoughts out of her mind.

But what if she _was_ dead?

None of this would happen any more. She wouldn't spend her evenings alone in books, she wouldn't be forced to satisfy his carnal needs. Pretenses would be gone; propriety and security would be obsolete. Nothing would matter. She wouldn't cry anymore. She wouldn't be a part of..._it_ anymore. No one could use her. No one could make her feel guilty. No one could preach about her responsibilities. It was all be...over. Everything would end.

Evelyn took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't think about this. She wouldn't. She forced her eyes open and jumped to her feet, hurrying from the room. She would step outside, get a breath of air. She had to clear her thoughts, she had to stop considering this. She rushed down the stairs and unlocked the front door. The cool night air sent chills over her skin as she stepped onto the porch. She took long, deep breaths of it, drinking in the cold like a drug. She loved the desert nights. Taking another breath, she leaned against the door and groaned.

Her own thoughts frightened her. Evelyn knew herself to be a realist, certainly, but she was not prone to darkness. She knew her marriage was a sham--she had known it would be the moment it was arranged and settled--but she had never once thought that she could evade it by dying. She swallowed uneasily and wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing away the goosebumps. This was crazy...suicide? Had she really been reduced to _those_ kind of thoughts?

The doorknob rattled suddenly and she gasped, jumping quickly out of the way. The door creaked open and Bianca's head peeked out, a confused expression on her face.

"Mrs. Gabor, you are cold?"

Evelyn forced a polite smile. "It is cold. I couldn't sleep."

The little maid yawned, and Evelyn realized that she had probably been sleeping. He hair was braided down her back and slightly disheveled; she gripped a threadbare robe about her shoulders and blinked heavily.

"I remember I locked the door. Your husband is not home?"

Evelyn shook her head. "They're still out."

Bianca nodded. "I wait for them. Lord Chamberlain wants the door locked at night. He is afraid of rebels."

Evelyn looked her over again and smiled sympathetically. "You go back to bed. I'll wait up for them."

"Are you sure?" Bianca yawned again. She took a deep breath and tried to shake the sleep from her mind. "No. I must."

Evelyn rest her hand on Bianca's arm. "I'm already awake. There's no reason both of us ought to be up."

The maid shrugged agreeably, opening the door to allow Evelyn in. "Okay. You wait inside, though. It is cold, and the rebels are always out. I get you something?"

Evelyn shook her head, stepping back into the house. Bianca closed the door and trudged back down the hall. Evelyn smiled to herself and walked into the drawing room, sinking into the sofa. She wanted to ask Bianca to stay with her and talk, but she knew that was ridiculous. The maid was tired, and probably had to be up early the next morning. And...anyway, what would they talk about? Evelyn knew she only wanted to distract herself from her previous thoughts. Maybe she should have asked Bianca for a drink--

The door crashed open and Evelyn let out a little cry. Rick O'Connell tumbled inside, collapsing on the floor. Evelyn swallowed difficultly and pulled herself to her feet, hurrying over to him. Bianca appeared in the hallway a moment later, her eyes bright with concern.

"I hear a noise--"

Evelyn motioned to the fallen form. "It's only Lieutenant O'Connell."

Bianca crept closer, a curious look on her face. Evelyn saw her shove a knife back into her robe as she knelt down beside him. "He is passed out."

"Lovely," Evelyn sighed.

"We get him out of the doorway."

Bianca stood up and took hold of O'Connell's arm. She looked at Evelyn and jerked her head at him obviously. "You take other arm. We drag him to the drawing room."

Evelyn sighed and did as she was told. The two women heaved and tugged at the unconscious form, jerking him slowly into the next room. He groaned and muttered indistinguishable words, and Bianca made frustrated comments in Russian. Despite her small stature, she was considerably more effective about moving the large man than Evelyn was; when they managed to pull him to a satisfying place in the middle of the floor, Bianca dropped his arm and hurried back to the front door, closing it tightly.

Evelyn stared down at the sleeping man, a strange smile tugging at her mouth. His brow was furrowed, as if some complexity was weighing on his mind, but his lips were parted like a child's, and something about his face was vulnerable and sweet in slumber. Biance bustled about the room, turning on the lamps and filling the space with a warm, yellow light. Evelyn heard her sigh loudly and looked up; the other woman was staring out the window of the drawing room with a grave expression on her face.

"If he comes, more is coming. I go to make coffee."

With that, she turned on her heel and headed quickly towards the kitchen. Evelyn shook her head and lowered herself to the floor beside O'Connell. In the light of the drawing room, she noticed that his knuckles were bruised. A dribble of blood stained the front of his shirt. He smelled like smoke and booze; Evelyn supposed that even a man as striking as O'Connell was probably still rough at heart. Beni had said they met in the Legion, which meant O'Connell was most likely a criminal, too...

She frowned at this thought, instinctively pushing a lock of hair away from his face. He groaned and twisted his head to the side, his eyes opening painfully to the brightness of the room. His gaze collided with hers, and she smiled in reassurance.

"Lieutenant."

He blinked heavily. "Evelyn...?" He took a breath, delayed embarrassment coloring his face. "Sorry. Mrs. Gabor..."

She shook her head, amused. "It's alright. I said before that you may call me Evelyn. Remember?"

He nodded slowly. His face broke into a wide, ridiculous grin. Evelyn held back a laugh. "You're beautiful, you know that? You're like a...an angel..."

Her cheeks brightened, and she glanced away. She was unable to hold back the smile on her lips. The brush of his fingertips on her face made her gasp, and she looked back at him in astonishment.

"If you...if you were mine, God, Evelyn. I'd make love to you every day...we'd never leave the bed..."

Evelyn knew she ought to be insulted, but his words raised something like excitement within her. She felt her heart beating faster, and she tried to quiet it.

"You're drunk."

He kept smiling, rubbing his face lazily. "I know. I'm sayin' st...stupid things...You're Beni's..."

Evelyn swallowed hard. She took a deep breath and leaned over him, bringing her face very close to his. "Now you listen to me, sir. I _don't_ belong to him."

A look of confusion passed over his features; he seemed apologetic, but he didn't seem to know why he was sorry. He gaped for the right words, but Evelyn just shook her head. Before he could utter anything, she brought her lips to his. His arms wrapped about her tightly, his fingers curled in her hair as he pulled her closer to him. Evelyn felt her inhibitions crumbling; she slid her tongue into his mouth and delighted in the rush of passion consuming her veins. She wanted to give herself over to it, to him, to everything. She wanted to smash the fears that kept her in a dull and colorless existence. She wanted to feel him and be swept up in the ecstasy of satisfied longing.

But he stopped her. He pushed her off of him and she stared at him with wide eyes, trembling. He ran his tongue over his lips and opened them. He started to say something, but the front door slammed open and silenced him.


	11. bestial

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandra, 1925_

**bestial.**

Beni stumbled through the door, Jonathan's arm (and most of his weight) slung over his shoulder. He glanced into the living room to find it disappointingly unoccupied; Rick O'Connell was on the floor, and Evy appeared to be tending to him, but there was no one else. With a frustrated sigh, he heaved Jonathan further into the foyer and pretended as if he hadn't seen anyone at all.

"_Lord Chamberlain! Ardeth! Eveyln!_ Quickly come here! We need a doctor!_ Evelyn!"_

His wife was at his side shushing him before he could even finish yelling. She hissed something about waking everybody up before slipping her arm around Jonathan's other side. His eyes blinked open lazily; his brow furrowed and he reached up a hand to rub his head.

"Great Scott," he mumbled, "what happened...?"

His eyelids drooped and his neck went limp; his head rest on his shoulder, and in the light of the living room Evelyn could see the damage done to his face. A gasp caught in her throat, and she looked up at Beni. She felt surprise (and even a twinge of guilt) to see the grave expression of solace on his face. But she did not have the time to look appologetic; Lord Chamberlain lumbered down the stairs, and Ardeth was close behind him.

"What is all the commotion about?!" Lord Chamberlain demanded in a hoarse tone. He squinted at the array of people in the room, his jaw dropping in shock. He nodded at Jonathan. "Who's this?"

"My brother," Evelyn answered. "It's my brother Jonathan."

"Lord Carnahan's son?" He gave Ardeth a disapproving glare before shouting, "Bianca!"

The little maid rushed in from the kitchen, a sudsy towel dripping from her hand. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Yes, sir?"

"Send one of the boys down to Dr. Bey's. Tell him it's an emergency."

Bianca barely managed another "yes, sir" before she was out of sight. Ardeth drew in a heavy breath, looking between Jonathan and O'Connell with baffled eyes. Evelyn saw his throat jerk a little, and he pushed gently past Lord Chamberlain to kneel beside O'Connell. They looked at each other with dazed eyes, neither breathing a word. Beni let out a loud, irritated sigh.

"Can we move him to the sofa, perhaps?"

Ardeth jumped to his feet and strode to Evelyn's place at Jonathan's side. He leaned the bulk of the other man's weight against his shoulder, heaving Jonathan to the sofa. The room was very quiet; Lord Chamberlain leaned against the wall, a look of reserved disgust creasing his face. Evelyn shared a glance with her husband before rushing to her brother. She touched the side of his swollen face gently, and he let out a moan. She felt Ardeth's gaze, and looked up helplessly. He shook his head.

"What happened?"

Bianca bustled back into the room, carrying a steaming bowl of water and the same, soapy cloth. She knelt down beside Jonathan and lifted the towel to his face, but Evelyn quickly excused her from her task. She dipped the towel into the bowl, and the sloshing water was the only sound in the room.

Ardeth sucked in a breath. _"What happened?"_

His glare bore down on O'Connell, but his friend could only weakly shake his head. "I don't know..." he mumbled. "I don't remember."

Ardeth rubbed his face wearily. "Major Gabor."

Beni shifted his weight, barely meeting Ardeth's eyes. "General, I'm sorry, but you cannot ask me to inform on my superior--"

"I'm not _asking_ you."

Ardeth's voice could have cut glass.

Beni swallowed hard. "He was drunk, and...he must not have recognized Jonathan--"

Evelyn gasped loudly, the cloth slipping through her fingers. Ardeth pressed his lips together, staring at the major. Beni's eyes didn't waver; he shrugged his shoulders and something like sadness contorted his face. O'Connell's eyes travelled about the group, growing wider in realization.

"Hey, wait a minute--"

But he was silenced by his general's glance.

"Lieutenant O'Connell did this?" Ardeth finally whispered. Beni nodded his head. Ardeth took a few steps towards the smaller man, his eyes black and burning and his back steeled. "You're certain? You saw it happen?"

Beni jammed his hands in his pockets and nodded. His general sucked in a deep breath, and he glanced up plaintively.

_"Did you see it happen?!"_

The house rang with his words; Evelyn startled, spilling water onto the carpet. She heard a surprised whimper, and glanced over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Delphine crouching in the stairwell, watching the scene with wide eyes. Beni's voice quickly drew her attention back to the matter at hand.

"Yes," he answered sharply. His jaw was clenched, but his hands were shaking; Evelyn found something pathetic about his forced defiance. "Yes, _sir,_ I saw it happen."

_"Look,"_ O'Connell cut in. "There's no way I could've done this. I mean...there's just--there's no way..."

"Do you remember anything else that happened?" Evelyn asked hopefully.

O'Connell shook his head, sighing in defeat. "No..."

"Then I suppose there_ is_ a way it could have happened," Lord Chamberlain said.

Ardeth shook his head. He was rendered speechless for a dragging moment. His gaze flitted to Jonathan's unconscious face, begging his eyelids to flutter. He opened his mouth to say something, but the doorbell chimed in his place. All eyes jerked up to the front door, and Bianca rushed over to answer it. A well-dressed older man slipped inside, greeting Lord Chamberlain with a quick handshake.

"Where's the patient?"

Lord Chamberlain motioned towards the sofa. Dr. Bey walked quickly into the room, stopping just beside Ardeth. He glanced from O'Connell to Jonathan, eyes wide with surprise.

"Well. I wasn't expecting two of them."

O'Connell shook his head, starting to sit up. "No, I'm alright, Doc--"

But a wave of dizziness overtook him, and he had to lie down again.

"Yes, it appears that way," Dr. Bey muttered under his breath. He touched Evelyn on the shoulder. "I can take it from here, ma'am."

Evelyn stood up reluctantly, drifting to the arm of the sofa. Dr. Bey unsnapped his black medical bag, and his eyes traveled around the silent company expectantly.

"Well you're a concerned group. Really, though, unless you must be here, you may as well get some sleep. This is _hardly_ an emergency." He jabbed his final comment at Lord Chamberlain, but gave them all the severity of his glare.

"When the son of a lord is pummelled to a pulp, I believe it _is_ an emergency," Lord Chamberlain returned evenly. Evelyn took a step forward, shifting her weight uncertainly.

"He's passed out."

Dr. Bey glanced up at her and frowned. "Yes, thank you. I can see that."

She swallowed. "I mean, isn't that...well, that's--"

"He's passed out because he's drunk," Dr. Bey clipped. "Now if you'd leave the doctoring to me, ma'am, I suggest you go back to sleep."

Her voice was meek, but her eyes were determined. "That's my brother. I'm staying right here."

"Perhaps you should go to bed, Mrs. Gabor," Ardeth said. She looked up, her will bristled for an argument. But the quiet weariness in his gaze was not asking for a fight--only simple compliance. "Perhaps we all should go back to bed."

"I do not approve of this, General," Lord Chamberlain stated coolly. The men locked eyes. "This kind of insubordination is unthinkable." He cast a disgusted glance at O'Connell. "I want that man removed from office and out of my house by morning."

He turned and started towards the stairs; Ardeth's jaw clenched. "I will do what I believe is best for my men."

Lord Chamberlain whirled around, staring fiercely into the other man's black eyes.

"You will do what's best for my city!" he shouted. "Do you understand?"

Ardeth looked down; the lord took a few breaths to collect himself. He glanced at Dr. Bey. "Please forgive the atrocities of this evening. You've found us in the most unpleasant circumstances."

"I'm a doctor--I find everyone in the most unpleasant circumstances," he returned.

Lord Chamberlain sighed. "Yes, well. Leave the bill with Bianca. I'm off to bed, then."

He trudged the rest of the way up the stairs, giving Delphine the iciness of his glance before disappearing into the upper level of the manor. Evelyn watched Ardeth's shoulders drop; his entire presence seemed to crumble. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, as if he could will the entire situation into a mirage. When he opened them again, he was looking at O'Connell.

"Ardeth--General Bay--you really don't think--"

"I was never one to hurt a man when he was already bleeding," Ardeth said coldly. "We will discuss this in the morning."

O'Connell opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and settled himself on the floor. He nodded his head weakly. Ardeth turned and left the room, murmuring something about getting some rest, if it was possible. Beni watched him start up the stairs with a frown, and scurried up after him. Delphine just met her husband's eyes when Beni grabbed him by the shoulder, catching him off-guard.

"If I may, General--"

"What is it?" Ardeth was too tired to be testy.

"Please don't remove O'Connell from office. He is a good man."

Ardeth sighed, rubbing his temple. "I thought so..." He looked up and smiled sadly. "You're a good man, Major. It is a difficult thing to do--answering duty before friendship. I thank you for your honesty."

Beni glanced down, pressing his lips into a thin line. "It was a hard thing to witness."

Ardeth's expression changed unreadably in the darkness; something like pity, or appreciation glimmered in his weary gaze. He rest a hand on Beni's shoulder.

"I want you to take his place."

Beni's jaw dropped; he shook his head. "General, I couldn't--"

"It will be announced in the morning, Lieutenant."


	12. circumstanced

**Author's Note:** _Has it really been that long? ...Yeah, I guess it's really been that long. _

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925 _

**circumstanced.**

Beni Gabor sat in the drawing room alone with a glass of tea not-so-subtly laced with vodka. He heard a chime coming from somewhere in the house; it was almost eleven in the morning. His stomach growled within him, and the thought of when lunch was served on Saturdays at the mansion pressed vaguely against his other concerns. He was lieutenant. Nobody could deny that. Just as Ardeth had promised, it had been announced that very morning--privately to O'Connell, just between the two men, and then publicly at the breakfast table. Some petty officer or another had spread the word around the barracks. Nobody would be calling him Major Gabor--not anymore.

The title felt as if it should have brought him more satisfaction, but it was cold and empty--like receiving dinner too late. He deserved that title and had for some time. Receiving it now was no great honor. He lifted the cup to his lips and took in a long sip. No, the title had never been the issue at all, had it? He was still a betrayed man; he'd still been chosen by default. O'Connell--that undeserving idiot--had to fall on his face in order for the position to even be offered to Beni, and that was blatant unjustice. Beni sighed; no, the title was not the problem at all.

Beni had been betrayed; O'Connell had almost nothing to do with it. Ardeth had scorned him; Ardeth had passed him over in favor of an unqualified dolt. Ardeth had made him look like a fool. O'Connell losing his position was merely the course of things--it would have happened sooner or later anyway, what with him being such a soft moron. But Ardeth had wronged him, and Ardeth deserved his recompense. Fellows like him always got their comeuppance.

The door creaked on its hinges, and Beni started. Bianca's little face peaked in, eyes wide.

_"Am I interrupting you, sir?"_ she asked, her words warm and Russian.

Beni smiled convincingly. _"Of course not. I take it you're finished already?"_

The maid beamed, scurrying into the room. She held up his uniform jacket proudly. _"Now you are a real lieutenant."_

_"You do very good work."_

He took the jacket, running his fingers over the new decorations. Her face flushed, but her eyes remained bright and eager on him. He glanced up at her and tilted his head to the side. They looked at each other, and something inside Beni's mind connected.

_"You are a lovely and talented woman, Bianca,"_ he said, softening his voice.

Her eyes glowed; he watched her throat jerk as she looked over her shoulders a few times. She shifted her weight. _"I...oh, well thank you...sir..."_

_"Would you like to sit down beside me?"_

She smiled briefly, but quickly started shaking her head. _"Oh...oh no, sir. I must not--your wife--"_

_"Doesn't speak Russian, and can't hear us, anyway."_

Bianca swallowed nervously, casting another glance at the door. Her hands shook as she sat down beside him on the sofa. _"Are you very happy with her?"_

He sighed. _"She is not very happy with me."_

Bianca's little face darkened with confusion. _"But who could not be happy with you? Such a successful and intelligent man...I-I heard what you said to Lord Chamberlain at dinner last night...you are so very clever, I can see. And you have been so kind to me, speaking to me in Russian--surely you know what that means to me, being so far from home..."_

He rest his hand on top of hers, quieting her trembling fingers. _"We are both far from home. My wife is English, you know how these people are. We married for political convenience--for her father. She doesn't understand, being an English woman."_

Bianca nodded her head slowly. _"Oh yes, I can see that now."_

Beni held back a smirk, lifting his other hand to the side of her face. _"I'm sure you see a lot of things."_

She looked down in embarrassment. _"I can't imagine her being unhappy with you. If it was me--"_

She stopped, shaking her head._ "I'm sorry. I talk too much sometimes."_

_"You have nothing to fear. I can tell you understand--you're Russian, I'm Hungarian: we're comrades."_

Bianca smiled. _"You are so very kind."_

_"You're the kind one, listening to me and saying such nice things. If you knew me better, you would not say them."_

Her brow furrowed again, and she shook her head emphatically. _"Of course I would! You are a wonderful man."_

Beni sighed, contriving a distant gaze. _"If you knew the things I have done..."_

But she shook her head all the more. _"Don't speak of those things! You're a hero. Everyone knows it."_

_"Oh, Bianca. You are too sweet and kind. I wish I had married someone like you, not cold and cruel like these English women."_

The little maid could hardly contain herself. She gripped his hand and leaned toward him, eyes sparkling. _"Oh, Lieutenant Gabor! I'm so very lonely in this place, having no one to talk to, only these English and natives around..."_

_"I know just what you mean."_

She shook her head. _"Oh, you do not! You're intelligent and successful and they accept you, but I'm just a maid who can't speak English well. If you'd only...oh, but you've done so much for me, talking to me in Russian--you must know what that means to me--and saying the nicest things. Really, sir, I would do anything you asked me to."_

Beni did smirk now, lifting his hand again to the side of her face. He touched her cheek and let his hand slide down her neck. She held him with her urgent eyes and took his hand, holding it to her breast.

_"Really, sir,"_ she whispered, _"I would do_ anything."

He brushed his fingers over the thin fabric, feeling the firm warmth of her. He indulged his impulse to press his fingertips into her soft flesh, to feel her out. The moan in her throat excited him, but his mind was more attuned to fortunate implications of her offer than to the more base throbbings in his body. He smiled at the cloudy desire in her eyes.

_"I don't doubt that."_

His thumb found her nipple and pressed on it; Bianca's eyes closed and she moaned again. _"Oh, Lieutenant, it's been so long since I've been touched--since my husband died..."_

Beni almost grinned; it was no wonder, then that she was so forward and so consumed by him. He'd satisfied himself with plenty of women since he had married Evelyn, but non had been so eager to please--unless they were expecting a small fortune. This woman was something else--lonely, desperate, desirous. He watched her face with something like pitiful amusement. Bianca was by no stretch of the imagination as beautiful as his wife, but she was lovely enough and she worshipped him. Worshippers are always of use.

_"Is there a lock on that door?"_ he asked.

Her eyes blinked open dazedly, and her head rolled around to look across the room at the door. With a groan, she pulled herself away from him and hurried to the door. She secured the latch in a moment and was back at his side immediately.

_"Make love to me,"_ she pleaded. _"No one would ever know...no one, I swear."_

Beni smiled, nodding slowly. He heard a little, subdued squeal in her throat as she yanked up her skirt. Her cream hosiery was a little tattered and her garters were faded, but that was not what drew Beni's attention. Hanging around one of her garters was a thin, white cloth with glittering thread. He frowned, pulling it out of the garment.

_"Where did you find this?"_

Her eyes went suddenly wide and frightened. _"Is it your wife's? Oh, I am so sorry! I just noticed it on the floor yesterday and picked it up. I didn't know whose it was, but I would never steal it. I was going to ask Mrs. Gabor and Mrs. Bay immediately, but I haven't seen them yet--"_

"Shh," he told her, holding the kerchief up to the light. The gold embroidery glittered against the sunlight. _"It's not my wife's. Don't be worried."_

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, a new satisfaction gleaming bright and attainable in the front of his mind. He crumpled the delicate fabric in his fist. _"Do you mind if I take it? I know who it belongs to."_

She nodded fervently, her fingers pulling at her garters._ "Oh, of course, sir."_

Beni smiled and shoved the kerchief into his pocket, his mind buzzing with adrenaline. He pulled Bianca against him, his body alive with the venom of his plot. Here it was now. Here it was, the very brink of his revenge. A part of him wanted to leave Bianca and set right to it, but he was so enamored with her coincidential discovery that he absolutely had to burn out his excitement on her. He had to be calm. He had to be believable. He took a breath, trying to steady himself. He looked her in the eye and she thought he was on fire for her alone. Beni pulled her roughly into his kiss.

Ardeth was already undone. The bastard was already on his knees, and he didn't even know it yet.

* * *

**Question:** _Do you think the word "nipple" means I have to up the rating? Hmm..._


	13. reputation

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925 _

**reputation.**

Evelyn balanced her tea and saucer in one hand and her book in the other, reading as she idled toward the drawing room. She nearly ran into the closed door, much to her own surprise, and frowned at it curiously. With a sigh, she closed her book around her finger and tested the door knob. It turned, but the door was clearly latched shut. With a shrug, she turned to search for another quiet place to read. She had just opened her book and resumed reading when the front door slammed open. The heavy sound startled her, but the muttered, "damnit" that followed put her mind to rest. She put her book and tea on the side table and looked up just in time to meet Rick O'Connell's frustrated but nervous gaze.

"Did you, uh, hear that?"

She laughed. "I think the whole house heard that."

He sighed, his eyes travelling up the staircase with disgust. "I knew if I couldn't get it all in the first trip, I'd never want to try getting the last of it."

Evelyn looked at him quizzically. "I beg your pardon?"

Rick shook his head. "Sorry. I'm, uh...I'm moving over to the barracks. I couldn't get all my stuff in the first trip down those damn stairs, so-"

"But they can't move you over to the barracks."

Rick looked surprised at her interjection, but not unpleased. His throat jerked, and he shrugged. "Yeah, well...they are."

Evelyn blinked rapidly, and she wasn't sure why. "They can't...Surely you can talk to Ardeth and ask him to reason with the governor."

"It's not the governor who wants me out."

Her brow furrowed. "What? But he-"

"Ardeth..." He looked down. "General Bay said it would be better if I was in the barracks."

"But you're an officer."

Rick sighed. "Yeah..."

"You should talk to Ardeth. Surely he won't be so unreasonable as to throw you out."

He looked at her a long time; she tried to glance away, but found herself unwilling to do so. "You don't know what he was like this morning. I've never seen him like that."

Evelyn shook her head in disbelief. "But Ardeth is such a calm man..."

"I know, but he wasn't this morning. I think the governor's getting to him, accusing him of all kinds of stuff...you know, not doing his job-"

"But we've only been here for a day!"

"He doesn't like him. And then this thing happened with Jonathan..."

A painful look passed between the two of them. Rick looked away sheepishly, and Evelyn's face flushed. She swallowed awkwardly.

"Oh...yes. Jonathan is...yes."

"I'm so sorry."

She met his eyes. "He's just fine. It looks as if he's done more damage to you, frankly."

Rick looked down. "I honestly don't remember doing it..."

Evelyn sighed. "But it's done now. Please, Lieu-Major O'Connell, don't fret over this. My brother is...this isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened to him. He does the most foolish things at times..."

He tried to look at her, but didn't quite make it to her eyes. "Yeah...I'd rather not, you know...think about it anymore."

She nodded. "Understandably so."

Their eyes met. Something entangled them in the silence, their gazes steady and unmoved. Evelyn took a step toward him.

"About...last night-"

His throat jerked.

"You do remember last night?" she asked timidly.

Rick pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded.

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

He shook his head. "Nah...it was nothing...we can just forget about it..."

Evelyn took a deep breath and reached for his hand. "Major O'Connell...I want you to know that I've never been so forward and blunt in my life, but-"

The door of the drawing room swung open and Beni waltzed out grinning. Evelyn quickly released Rick's hand and forced a smile.

"You look cheery this morning."

He shrugged easily, wiping his face with his sleeve. With him standing so close, she noticed that he smelled a little. "I suppose I am. Do either of you know when lunch is?"

Evelyn shook her head; Rick looked down.

A strange and even guilty look passed over Beni's face; he looked between the two of them nervously. "Is something happening?"

"Beni-Ardeth is forcing Major O'Connell to move to the barracks."

Beni's face fell; he looked at O'Connell sympathetically. "He's doing that to you? But you are an officer."

Rick shrugged.

"Please," Evelyn persisted, reaching to take Beni's arm. Her fingers paused just above him. "If there's anything you can do...Ardeth trusts you...you saved his life."

Beni opened his mouth and started to shake his head, but stopped. He seemed barely able to contain a smile.

"I can try, but you do know who you should be asking."

Rick frowned and shook his head. Beni looked at his wife with glittering eyes. "Delphine. If there is anyone to turn his heart, it is Delphine."

Evelyn couldn't quite hide the surprise in her eyes. She looked at her husband with genuine joy and took his arm. "Oh, that's a brilliant idea! She's such a sweet girl-she would never want you thrown out of the house. She could persuade him in a moment, too!"

Beni smiled smugly, pulling his arm gently from her hand. "Well, you're welcome then. But I am starving and want to eat. Somebody must be cooking around here...let me know if you see that Russian girl around."

He chuckled to himself in the most peculiar way and left them for the corridor giving on to the kitchen. Evelyn turned to Rick, beaming. She grasped his hand in both of hers.

"This is perfect. Delphine will have no trouble at all convincing Ardeth, believe me."

He smiled at her glowing face, her eyes alive and sparkling with excitement. His throat twitched, and his tanned face might have flushed a little. He looked down and lowered his voice.

"Not to, uh...but you were saying something about being forward and...blunt..."

Evelyn's eyes widened, and she took a deep breath, glancing back in the direction her husband had left. Her stomach twisted within her, and shook her head.

"Oh...yes...I'm sorry. You're right. It was...you know, nothing. We ought to let it pass..."

She blinked rapidly, not quite looking him in the eyes. An unreadable expression passed over his face, and he gently lifted her chin. She stared up at him, her body shaking.

"Evelyn, I...I've done a lot of stupid things in my life, but messing around with a guy's wife isn't one of them."

She closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her face. She didn't see the death it caused him.

"Yes," she whispered. "I understand."

He swallowed hard. "I just...just tell me he treats you good, and that you're happy...okay? Just tell me you messed up last night and meant nothing by that kiss."

Evelyn shook her head, gasping back a sob. She took a deep breath and looked up at him through her tears. "He treats me..." She took another breath. "He treats me..."

She let out a difficult sigh and looked up, blinking away her tears. She watched a fly buzzing against the panes of sunlight on the ceiling-she watched it knock its body against the plaster and fly dazedly downward again. She saw her life on its wings, dismal and gray, whirring like machinery she couldn't stop. She looked back into Rick's eyes and stared at him with renewed determination.

"He treats me terribly," she whispered. He looked away from her, but she squeezed his hand and he met her gaze again. "And I'm not happy. I've never been so lonely or sad or hopeless in my whole life."

She saw the pain overwhelming his stare. His throat jerked uncomfortably. She took a step nearer to him, and his breath came hot and nervous against her face. She looked up at him steadily, the tears still glittering against her skin.

"And I meant _everything_ by that kiss."

He shook his head, confusion sprawled across his handsome features. He looked into her eyes because he didn't know what else to do-and didn't much care to do anything else, either.

"I don't know what to say...what to do."

Evelyn swallowed. "Don't...say anything." She took a deep breath, starting to take a step backwards from him. "We'll pretend as if nothing happened...we'll go back to things as they were..."

But Rick shook his head with determination, his hand tightening on hers. He pulled her close to him again.

"There's no going back, Evelyn. Not for me."

Her face lit with joyful confusion; she couldn't stop herself from grinning. "I don't know what to do..."

"Neither do I," he sighed. "But we'll...I don't know...but we will, though."

Evelyn was still smiling, and he was smiling, too. "Alright."

He nodded, his face a little flushed. "Okay, then."

She pressed her lips together, trying to contain her giddiness. "We should find Delphine..."

Rick cleared his throat, looking down. "Yeah, let's uh...let's do that."

They looked at one another a moment longer, and then in a flash, Rick took her by the wrist and pulled her into the closet under the stair. He shoved it closed behind them, and they stood together, so close in the dark. Evelyn almost giggled at her own exhileration, but suddenly his arms were around her and he was pressing her into a deep kiss. His tongue dove deep into her mouth and she was sure she stopped breathing for a second. The wall was hard against her back but she didn't care; her body trembled from his kiss and his touch. She wanted to moan but held it back, kept it a secret. They were together in the close, quiet dark, and nobody knew but them. His hands were pulling her skirt up and hers were tugging at his pants. She wasn't thinking and she didn't want to. For the first time, everything inside her was eager and alive and on fire for lovemaking. Rick O'Connell was everything her husband wasn't. She shoved Beni out of her mind and told herself she'd never, ever think about him again.

Rick's kisses were hot on her throat and her collarbone and all down her chest. She opened her mouth to scream, but pinned down the noise. He was strong and handsome and gentle, and she never wanted to leave this place. She would stay forever with him in the dark quiet. For the first time, the world felt perfect, if only between the two of them. If only in the secret.


	14. virtuous means

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

**

* * *

**

**virtuous means.**

Delphine rolled over in bed and giggled, her big eyes aglow as she saw the flash of Ardeth's bright teeth and heard his deep laugh. Sunlight poured in through the windows, tainted palely by the bluish curtains. Her skin looked like porcelain in the light - so perfect, he thought, so perfect. Ardeth had always been a virtuous Middle Eastern man, and he hadn't bent to mockings of his Western compatriots when they learned he hadn't bed a woman since the passing of his first wife many years ago. Besides that brief time with his first wife, when he was still a very young man, Delphine was his only lover, and he was hers. He liked to think that (despite having only one other woman to compare her to) no other woman had skin so perfectly smooth, without blemish. She didn't have a scar on her body - not even a mole or a birth mark. She was as clean as snow, like an angel. And he couldn't imagine there ever being a mark to disrupt the loveliness of her skin.

His fingers trailed over her stomach. He watched the goosebumps flare across her skin before settling down again. He looked up into her eyes and couldn't help but bury himself in the sweet solace of her kiss. She moaned quietly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He could feel desire tightening inside of him, and he leaned over her - ready to take her again this morning. But her hands were on his chest, gently pushing him away. She giggled again when she met his surprised gaze.

"It's nearly one o'clock," she said, "and we haven't eaten yet."

"Oh, is that all?" Ardeth flashed a smile and settled down to kissing her again. But when his lips left hers and started down her neck, she stopped him again.

"I'm hungry."

Breathing a sigh, Ardeth leaned away from her and sat up. His hand ran up and down her arm as she pulled herself to a sitting position beside him. She leaned into his shoulder, tracing her fingers over the scars on his abdomen. For a moment, they just sat in silence, the room filling with the satisfied lull of their breathing.

"Let me go get us something," she said finally.

But Ardeth shook his head. "Oh, no. I can go - "

Delphine smiled and put a hand on his arm. "I want to do it. You've had a long week dealing with that - that - Lord Chamberlain. You stay up here and rest, and I'll be back in just a moment."

Ardeth opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him with a kiss.

"I'll be right back."

She hopped out of the bed and pulled on her underthings and a frock. She didn't bother putting on shoes. Blowing him a kiss, she slipped out the door and started happily down the hallway, humming to herself. She tried to decide what she would want to bring up to Ardeth as she skipped down the stairs, and her thoughts were caught somewhere between figs and cookies when she nearly ran into Rick and Evelyn - just about to start up the stairs.

"Oh, hello," she smiled. She touched Evelyn's cheek playfully. "You look positively radiant today, Evy!"

Her cousin blushed and looked away, but she couldn't hide a smile. Delphine grinned and continued down the stairs. She barely noticed Rick and Evelyn turn around to follow her.

"Delphine," Evelyn said, "could we speak with you a moment?"

Delphine stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at them curiously. "Of course - but would you mind if we spoke in the kitchen? I'm starving."

Rick shrugged and Evelyn assured her that was fine. When the three of them entered the kitchen, the cook looked annoyed (and still a little under the weather), but she gave them her most polite, toothless smile. Delphine ignored her and started searching through drawers. When the cook offered to help, Delphine shooed her into the other room with a pretty, girlish grin.

"Delphine," Evelyn said, her eyes searching desperately to gain her cousin's attention. "Ri - Lieu - Major O'Connell has something he would like to ask you about."

Delphine paused in her search and turned to look at Rick with interest.

"What's that, Major O'Connell?"

Rick cleared his throat and glanced at Evelyn a few times before finally managing, "Well...it's not really that big of a deal - "

"It certainly seems like it," Delphine said, taking a few apples from the counter. "You two are making quite the fuss."

Rick opened his mouth to say something, but Evelyn recovered for him before he had a chance to utter a word.

"Delphine, Ardeth has ordered Major O'Connell out of the governors manor, and he's an officer. It's really not at all right that he was demoted at all, but - well, considering Lord Chamberlain's reaction, it needed to be done." She glanced apologetically at Rick before continuing. "You need to speak with Ardeth about throwing Major O'Connell out of the manor. It isn't right for him to bunk with the other men - they'll lose respect for him, and it's quite a public embarrassment. Won't you do this for him?"

Delphine's eyes were wide. She looked between the two of them, first with disbelief, and then with great sympathy. She hurried over to Rick and touched his arm, gazing up at him with childlike, comforting eyes.

"Oh, Major O'Connell - what a shame!" She squeezed his arm. "But don't worry. I'm sure there's a reason Ardeth has done this, but I'll change his mind. Don't you go getting all packed up just yet."

She patted his face and winked before returning to her apples. Managing as many in her arms as she could, she gave them a dazzling farewell smile and traipsed out of the kitchen.

Rick looked at Evelyn. "Well, she's awfully...sweet."

But Evelyn's brilliant smile melted away his amazement at Delphine's sugary disposition. She took his hands in excitement.

"See? She was just the person to speak with."

He nodded wordlessly, gazing deep into her green-gray eyes. Her smile faded seriously as he reached a hand up and touched her cheek. Her eyes closed at the feeling of his rough fingertips, and she sucked in a little breath. Rick pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers. He heard her moan as she pulled him closer, her heart racing against his chest. Everything inside of Rick throbbed, and he needed her. He was barely thinking as she pulled out of his embrace gently and led him across the room to the pantry and closed the door behind them.


	15. a more sufficient man

**_Author's Note. _**_I've had this story on hiatus for a while. I love the story because I love _Othello,_ so I did a little catching up on the story, refreshed my memory on_ Othello_, and decided it was time to update. For anyone who was reading this before, I edited Chapter 13 a little. Check it out. I actually need to do some touch-up work on a few of the chapters, because apparently there was a time when I believed "apologize" was spelled with two P's._

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925_

**a more sufficient man.**

Ardeth adjusted his tie in the mirror and turned to look at his wife, sitting cross-legged on the bed finishing the last of her apple.

"How do I look, my love?"

She smiled around her bite of apple, swallowed, and told him, "You always look handsome. And I love you in a suit, but..."

Ardeth raised an eyebrow, his face falling a little. "But what?"

Delphine giggled at the severity of his expression. "Oh, I just miss you in a uniform is all. But you're handsome in anything. In everything."

He crossed the room to the bed and planted a kiss on her forehead. She turned her face to him and he kissed her again on the lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she started to pull him down to the bed again, but he stopped her.

"We need to leave this room sometime," he said with a playful smile. She tilted her head to the side and gave him her most coy smirk.

"Now I don't know about that..."

He took her wrist and gently pulled out of her embrace. "You need to clean up, and find a dress for tonight."

Delphine groaned. "Must we go?"

Ardeth chuckled a little, but his face was grave. "Unfortunately."

She sighed, and he watched her pretty sapphire eyes wander about the room for a moment. When her gaze returned to him, she had a very serious expression.

"Can I ask you about something?"

He looked at her a second longer, and then took a seat next to her on the bed. "Of course."

Her fingers idled at her neckline, and she pressed her lips into a little line thoughtfully. "It's about Lieutenant...Major O'Connell."

Ardeth stiffened but he said nothing. She looked over at him carefully before dropping her eyes to the sheets. "I don't think you should make him move out of the mansion."

He let out a slow sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. She took anther little breath, and continued:

"He's a good man, and he's your friend, and...well, the demotion was surely humiliating enough. If you make him live in the barracks, none of the men will ever respect him..."

Ardeth's dark gaze traveled over her face; she seemed nervous under his scrutiny, but she met his eyes and didn't look away.

"You've never questioned the decisions I've made about my men before," he said finally. "Do you not trust me?"

Delphine blinked in confusion, and reached for his hand. "Of course I trust you, my love! But - "

She wasn't sure what to say. The words she needed felt odd in her mouth, and this was the first time she'd ever dared to confront Ardeth about anything. She suddenly felt the age gap between them, and the color rose in her cheeks. She felt like a silly girl next this man, and for the first time it occurred to her that she might not be his equal.

"You may speak," he told her when a moment passed in silence. Delphine took a breath.

"I trust you," she said again, "but this isn't the right decision."

Ardeth sighed, squeezing her hand. "I had no idea it meant so much to you."

She took comfort in his touch, and smiled a little. Perhaps he wasn't so high above her, after all. "Major O'Connell is very dear to me. After all he did for us, delivering your letters late at night...I just cannot stand for him to be thrown out like a bad dog. He's very dear to me. Isn't he dear to you?"

Ardeth chuckled giving her a playful look. "Well, I would never put it quite like that."

Delphine giggled, leaning against him. He kissed the silky top of her dark head. "You're very dear to me," he said quietly. He wrapped an arm around her and she draped her long legs across his lap. He ran a hand up and down her thigh for a thoughtful moment.

"I'll see what can be done about keeping him here," Ardeth said finally.

"Oh, thank you!" Her head popped up, and she wrapped him up in a hug, kissing him a few times on the cheek. "Thank you, thank you! It's going to mean the world to him!"

He frowned thoughtfully, but his expression vanished before their eyes met again. She jumped off of the bed and started toward the bathroom. "What time is this...welcoming thing tonight?"

Ardeth sighed. "It's a ball. And we have to be there at eight."

She gave him one last, glittering smile before slipping into the bathroom and closing the door. Ardeth stared at the door for a moment before standing up and leaving the bedroom.

Stepping out into the hall, he nearly ran into his new lieutenant.

"Oh, pardon me, sir," Beni said. He took a step backwards, and Ardeth could see he was holding a suitcase. "I was helping Major O'Connell with his things."

Ardeth held up a hand. "Well...you may not have to. I think I'll be letting O'Connell stay."

Beni raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh. Well, I'm going to go put this back, then."

He turned around, and Ardeth caught sight of something sticking out from inside of the suitcase. Without really thinking, he took Beni's arm and stopped him. Beni looked even more surprised when he turned to look at his commander.

"What is it, sir?"

But Ardeth was too busy studying the little bit of white fabric. "Open it."

Beni cocked his head to the side in confusion, but he set the suitcase down on the floor and popped open the clasps. Inside was a messy array of Rick's clothes, and the suspicious article hanging half-way out of the suitcase: a white handkerchief with gold embroidery. Ardeth felt his heart starting to beat wildly in his chest. He slowly bent over the suitcase and picked up the handkerchief.

Vaguely, he was aware of Beni scoffing something about the kerchief "not really being O'Connell's style."

Ardeth could feel his hands trembling; his head was much too hot, and his heart thudded away in his ears.

"Sir, what is the matter?"

He turned and met Beni's worried eyes, and found a little comfort in their pity. "This is Delphine's," he said quietly. "I gave it to her."

Beni took a sharp little breath. "Oh." He looked down and rubbed the side of his face. "I'm so sorry, sir."

Ardeth's eyes flashed to the smaller man. "What do you mean, you're sorry? It could be nothing. She might have dropped it, and he found it..."

Beni nodded, but his expression was unconvincing. "Yes. That might have happened..."

They shared a look. Ardeth was doing his best to quiet the whirring emotions in his head. Delphine_ could_ have just lost the handkerchief. Rick wouldn't have even known it was hers now. Ardeth had shown it to him once, long ago; perhaps he'd thought Ardeth had dropped it somewhere...but then why wouldn't he have simply returned it? What was the kerchief doing in Rick's things? In his suitcase? Among the things he had been planning to take to the barracks? Over and over again, he heard Delphine's words from just earlier: _Major O'Connell is very dear to me. _How dear? What had she meant when she'd said that?

"Commander," a voice broke through his thoughts. When he looked up, he met the wild eyes of one of his soldiers. "Forgive me for coming up to your living quarters, but there was no one downstairs to send for you."

Ardeth took a breath and tried to expell his current worries. "What is it, Private?"

"Sir," he said, "the barracks were bombed. A dozen or more men are badly injured."

"Oh, my God!" Ardeth started off at a swift gait towards the stairs. Beni and the private hurried to keep up with him. "How long ago?"

"An hour, maybe. I came as soon as I could."

"Find Major O'Connell," he ordered as he hurried down the stairs, "Lieutenant Gabor and I are leaving now."

"Sir, there's something else."

The private's interjection made Ardeth stop in his tracks, and Beni nearly ran right into his back. They both turned to look at the private impatiently.

"We arrested a woman on the scene, sir. She had more explosives. We have her detained."

Beni smirked a little. "This sounds like my area of expertise."

Ardeth might have looked uneasy, but didn't show it as he started down the stairs again. "Private, you take Lieutenant Gabor to the prisoner. Major O'Connell and I will be heading to the barracks shortly."


	16. eaten up with passion

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Streets of Alexandria: Alexandria, 1925_

**eaten up with passion.**

Rick had never seen Ardeth so agitated, and it unnerved him. He sat stiffly in the back of the car, casting nervous glances from time to time at his commander as their driver sped on towards the prison. Ardeth's hands kept twisting around the corner of his suit jacket; he looked uncomfortable in his Western clothing - restricted, or confined somehow. His jaw clenched and unclenched and clenched again, and the clicking of his teeth was making Rick nervous.

They'd already been to the barracks. The damage was bad. It could be worse, but it certainly wasn't a trifle of a situation. A quarter of the barracks were completely destroyed. Six men had been blown to pieces; twenty more had been hauled to the hospital. Rick had surveyed as much as he could; it was a mess to be certain. Even with the injured at the hospital, the remaining barracks didn't have enough room to house the soldiers whose quarters had been completely destroyed. He'd put a few men in charge of pulling together sleeping bags and mats and cots, wherever they could find them. It was already afternoon, and even though no one wanted to think about it, they all had to sleep sometime. Rick sighed wearily. He doubted there would be much sleeping at all.

The men were shaken. Most of them had seen battle before, and the threat of death was nothing new. They'd anticipated some resistance to the military occupation, but a bomb? In the barracks? Who were these rebels, and how had they managed to sneak in enough explosives to destroy entire buildings and kill so many people?

A woman had been on the scene. A woman! Rick's stomach twisted as he suddenly remembered that Beni had been sent to see about her. He'd never sat in on Beni's interrogations before, but he'd heard stories. And the fact that the prisoner happened to be a woman made him feel sick. Explosives or no, torturing a woman was a completely different situation from torturing a soldier. Not that Rick advocated torturing soldiers, either, but in war...it came down to that sometimes.

Rick suddenly felt uncomfortable, and he realized that Ardeth was staring at him. His eyes were black and unreadable, but something about his expression made Rick very uneasy. He met his gaze.

"Would you ever sleep with a married woman, Major O'Connell?"

The question completely threw him off guard. Rick had been consumed with their current situation, and he'd assumed Ardeth was considering the same. He'd accredited this strange nervousness to their new troubles with the barracks and the men, but now Ardeth was asking odd questions that didn't seem to have anything to do with their problem.

"What?"

A darkness flashed behind Ardeth's eyes, but he repeated himself with restrained calm. "Would you sleep with a married woman?"

Rick felt his body tense. Did Ardeth know about Evelyn? But then, how could he?

"I don't...I don't know."

Ardeth's jaw clenched and unclenched again. "A man like that...a man so low as to bed another man's wife...There's no trusting a man like that, as far as I'm concerned. Only a real villian would do something like that. Wouldn't you agree?"

Rick swallowed hard, and tried to focus on something out the window. "I, uh...I mean, I don't know."

"What don't you know?" Ardeth's voice was so sharp, Rick winced. "It's a malicious, underhanded thing to do. To...violate another man's family like that. I don't see how there is any margin for opinion."

Rick crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned back a little in surprise. He met Ardeth's eyes, finally. "It's not always that simple - "

"What's so complicated about it?" Ardeth was leaning towards him now, his face creased with anger and a storm brewing in his eyes. "A man's wife is his! He swore his life to her and she to him. Only a scoundrel would come between such an oath."

Rick felt his heart thumping harder now. God, could he really be talking about him and Evelyn? About_ Beni_ and Evelyn?

"You know, people don't always get in married because they're in love," Rick retorted, a little stronger than he meant to. "And you know, women aren't just these...these dolls someone else can just take away. Sometimes they're just not happy."

Ardeth sat up in his seat, his fists clenched in his lap. "So these men, it's not their fault at all? A woman is unhappy, and so there's nothing wrong with it?"

Rick took a breath, shaking his head in confusion. "Why are we even arguing about this?"

"Just answer the question," Ardeth commanded. Rick stared at him. The car rolled to a stop. Shaking his head, Rick reached for the door handle, but Ardeth grasped him hard by the arm.

"I don't know what you want from me," Rick kind of spat. "We've got a bunch of men in the hospital - six have already died - and we don't have enough goddamn barracks to house the men we do have - who,_ by the way,_ are scared out of their minds. We've got a prisoner in custody, but God knows what Beni's done to her, and you're arguing with me about if it's ok to sleep with a married woman?"

Ardeth gaped at him a moment, but his stern gaze quickly returned. Rick pulled his arm out of his grasp.

"Let's go."

Rick opened his car door and got out, and Ardeth followed slowly after him. They strode together in silence, down the hallway to which they were directed, to a room at the very end. Rick reached up a hand to knock, but Ardeth cut in front of him and flung open the door. The scene inside wasn't nearly as grim as Rick had been anticipating.

Beni was standing in the corner, smoking a cigarette and thumbing through some papers. He rarely smoked, but Rick had found he tended to when he was agitated. In the middle of the room, a tall, slender Egyptian woman was handcuffed to a chair. She met their eyes with a regal air, and Rick could see in the yellowish electric light that she had a bruise starting on one of her cheekbones. She was still lovely, though. Her dark, catlike eyes flitted between them precisely, seeming to measure them. She was dressed simply in Arabic robes, but her long, black hair was uncovered. Her skin glowed like gold.

Beni glanced up at them. "Gentlemen, meet Meela Nais."

He crossed the room to Ardeth and Rick, extending the file in his hand. "She's the ringleader's whore, and fortunately we have a dossier on her already, because," he turned his head and yelled in Arabic at her, _"she's being a real cunt!"_

Ardeth took the file from Beni and began looking it over. Rick took a step nearer Meela, and noticed her hands spread calmly in her lap. The knuckles on her right hand were large and bruised. He glanced at Beni and couldn't hide his disgust. Beni met his eyes with an even sneer.

"So what do we know?" Ardeth asked impatiently.

Beni sighed, taking another drag from his cigarette. "She calls herself Anck...Anne..." He turned and looked at her, yelling in Arabic again, _"What's that you call yourself, darling?"_

_"Anck-su-namun,"_ she retorted fiercely.

"That," Beni said. "Her real name is Meela Nais. She's the wife of a rich old man named Muhammad Nais, but she ran off on him to be with..._What's that you're calling him?"_

_"Imhotep."_

"Whose real name seems to be...Bilal Ahmad. Or could be. He's also listed here as Arif Abdul."

Beni looked up to find Ardeth staring thoughtfully at the woman. She glared back at him and spat something in a language neither Rick nor Beni understood. They exchanged confused glances as Ardeth spoke back to her, and then she said something else. He sighed, leaning back on his heels for a moment.

"It's from the legend," he told them. "In ancient times, Imhotep was a high priest who fell in love with the pharaoh's mistress, Anck-su-namun. Together they killed him."

"Huh," Rick sighed. "Strong sentiment."

Ardeth nodded absentmindedly. He took a step closer to Meela, but quickly jumped back as she sent a wad of spit in his direction.

"She's quite charming," Beni said venomously, snubbing his cigarette out on the floor. He turned his glare to her. _"But what do you expect from a whore who leaves her husband for a terrorist?"_

Ardeth's hands curled into fists at his sides, and Rick looked between the two men in confusion.

"I don't suppose there's any way we can do this in English..."

_"Call me whatever names you like!" _Meela shot back. _"You're a sick little man and nothing good is awaiting you! And you!" _Her eyes flashed to Ardeth's. _"The only traitor in this room is you! With your English suits and your white little wife - you disgust me." _She spat on the floor and leaned back readily as Beni crossed the room and slapped her hard across the face. She hid her flinch between her clenched teeth and glared up at him with her regal eyes. _"You're a pathetic man. I hope I'm there when you suffer and die."_

_"You shut up,"_ Beni returned. _"You betrayed your husband, a man who cared for you and took you out of poverty - "_

_"You know nothing about my husband."_

_"I know he could have you stoned if it wasn't for those men in the barracks you so cruelly blew up. Perhaps we aren't so bad for you, after all."_

_"Don't you tell me about my country, or our people," _she retorted. _"You don't know anything about us, and you treat us like slaves. This is our country. And I'll blow up a thousand buildings if it means you'll all leave!"_

Beni smirked, crossing closer to her. He took her chin in his hand and jerked her face up towards his. Rick took a breath and glanced at Ardeth, but he was unmoved.

_"That sounded an awful lot like a threat."_

_"It was."_

He turned her head one way, and then the other, in a demeaning little shake. He brought his face even closer to hers and whispered, _"Oh, my dear, I can keep you here all night and then some with that kind of talk. And I know some very dangerous prisoners who would be thrilled to see a woman like you alone."_

She looked sternly away, setting her jaw. Beni smirked.

_"But what do you care? A whore like you - that probably sounds like a regular Saturday night."_

Meela sucked in a little breath, and her eyes turned to his fiercely again. _"It doesn't matter what you do to me. You'll all be dead by morning."_

Beni grinned triumphantly, and Meela's face might have fallen for a moment. He let go of her chin and took a few steps back, granting her the mocking of a gracious bow. Rick watched him in confusion, but Ardeth's face was piqued with interest.

_"Ah, my darling!"_ Beni exclaimed, crossing back to her quickly. He picked up her right hand as far as the handcuff would allow and planted a kiss on her swollen knuckles. Despite her best efforts, she whelped loudly in pain. _"So blowing up the barracks wasn't the only part of your little welcome party, was it?"_

She said nothing, but her stoic expression shattered into a painful wince as his hand gripped hers.

_"Was it?"_ He squeezed her hand again, and she cried out. _"My dear, you've already told us it wasn't. And I'll let go of your hand if you agree."_

Meela took a breath and blinked away the tears on her lashes. In a voice that shook, she admitted, _"You're right."_

But Beni didn't let go of her hand. He took her forefinger in his grasp and gave it a little squeeze. _"So where are your friends planting bombs tonight?"_

She clenched her teeth together and waited for him to hurt her. But he didn't.

_"What if I guess and you tell me if I'm right?"_

She shook her head, but he started to bend her finger backwards. Her whole body tensed and she tried to quiet the painful squeal in the back of her throat.

_"Is it...the Welcome Ball?"_

Her eyes widened a little, and he watched her face for only a second before bending her finger the rest of the way back. She howled in pain, and Rick took a step towards them. Ardeth hand on his shoulder stopped him, and when he turned to look at his commander, his face was stony and unmoved. Ardeth held up a finger and Rick shoved his hands in his pockets, hiding how he flexed his fingers in sympathetic discomfort.

Tears streamed down Meela's cheeks, but she wouldn't answer. Beni bent over her, reaching his hand up now to stroke the side of her face. _"It is, isn't it?"_

His hand trailed down her throat, down her shoulder and her arm. Rick could see her fingers trembling as he took her hand again. A sob caught in her throat and she suddenly cried out:

_"Yes! Yes! Just leave me alone!"_

Beni smiled triumphantly and took several steps back from her, looking back to his companions. Rick breathed a sigh.

"So...it's over?"

Ardeth nodded gravely.

"What happened?"

"Her friends are bombing the Welcome Ball tonight," Beni explained.

Rick nodded. "Alright. So we need to cancel it."

Beni scoffed. "Are you kidding? They'll blow up the building regardless."

"Yeah," Rick allowed, "but at least there won't be people in it."

"So what then?" Beni said. "They win either way. And there's no catching them."

Rick sighed. "So what do you propose, then?"

Beni shrugged. "We bring her along."

Rick's eyebrows jerked up incredulously. "You're serious?"

"The bastard isn't going to blow anything up with his girlfriend inside."

Rick shook his head. "Um, he_ might."_

They both looked to Ardeth, who was considering everything very carefully. He glanced between the two of them. "We would have a chance of catching them if we bring her along."

Rick's eyes widened. "Yeah, _or_ - this was the plan all along. I mean, isn't it a little suspicious we found her at the barracks? And she admitted they're going to blow up the banquet hall pretty easily - "

"You call that easy?" Beni snorted. "I had to break her finger."

Ardeth shook his head. "He calls her Anck-su-namun. He won't do any harm if she's there. He's in love with her." He looked pointedly at Rick when he opened his mouth to protest. "You have to be Egyptian to understand these things."

Rick let out a sigh. "Alright. So what do we do? Chain her to a table?"

Beni smirked. "She can go with you. You don't have a date." He might have flicked a glance at Ardeth before turning his steely eyes to Meela. _"Major O'Connell here likes married women, too. You should get along splendidly."_

Rick looked at Beni with confused eyes. "What did you just tell her?"

But the lieutenant only shrugged, crossing the room easily to the door. Rick looked to Ardeth, ready to ask him what Beni had said, but his expression was so dark and frightening that he didn't dare say anything. He inched away from his commander a little and opened the door, letting himself out first. He made it all the way to the car before realizing he was alone.


	17. waked wrath

_**Author's Note. **So I'm kind of on a roll with this story. This is a short chapter, but the next one's going to be pretty long, so I figure it's ok. It's so close to being over (which sort of makes me sad), but I just keep wanting to write it out to the end. So therefore, enjoy the quick updates, and thanks for reading!_

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_Alexandria Prison: Alexandria, 1925_

**waked wrath.**

Beni was more than a little startled when Ardeth shoved him painfully against the wall, his forearm forced against his neck, making it difficult to breathe. Ardeth wasn't typically a rash man, and for that reason Beni had rarely been frightened of him; but now, with his eyes burning dark and uncontrollable, and his face set in the worst kind of scowl, Beni was wracking his mind for an upper hand.

"You listen to me!" Ardeth snarled hoarsely. "You had better prove that Delphine has been untrue to me! Show me the proof! Because if I am suffering for nothing, you'd be better off a dog than deal with me!"

"The proof?" Beni choked back. Despite his fear, irritation started to buzz around in the back of his mind. _Proof?_ What did he think the handkerchief was, exactly? "What, you want to see him fucking her? Would that be enough proof for you?"

"My God," Ardeth mumbled miserably. His grip on Beni weakened and he took a step backwards. He blinked hard a few times, shaking his head. When he looked at him again, his face was so pained that even Beni might have felt sorry for him. Under different circumstances, of course. "Beni, I'm in such anguish..."

He wanted to smile, but put on his best sympathetic face. He stilled his trembling fingers and put a hand on Ardeth's shoulder.

"My friend, it pains me to see you suffer. I know how you love her."

Ardeth sucked in a deep breath, blinking rapidly again. His throat jerked, and he nodded slowly.

"I would hope that she would never stray from you," Beni sighed. "But...the handkerchief."

Ardeth closed his eyes. "The handkerchief."

"He_ may_ have only found it. Perhaps he didn't know who it belonged to?"

But his commander only shook his head. "He knew...he knew."

Beni breathed a weary sigh, leaning against the wall. "Well, perhaps he loves her in secret. Perhaps he took the handkerchief to think of her. Did he act strangely when he asked about staying at the mansion?"

A confused look passed over Ardeth's face. His mouth gaped for a moment, and then the color drained from his face. "O'Connell didn't ask me if he could stay at the mansion...Delphine did."

Beni's eyes widened, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh..."

"She said...she said he was very dear to her..."

Their eyes met. The pain in Ardeth's eyes was monumental. He looked like a man struck. He reached a shaking hand up to rub his face, and when he looked at Beni again, tears were welling in his eyes.

"Oh, sir," Beni whispered, "I'm so sorry..."

Ardeth let out a strange cry, almost a howl, like an animal. It made Beni jump, though he quickly regained his composure to watch the man stumble towards the wall and beat it with his fist.

_"What a fool I've been!"_ he yelled in Arabic. _"What a fool!"_

Beni covered his mouth to appear upset, though in reality he simply had to hide how close he was to smirking. How beautiful! How perfect! He'd never done better work, and he couldn't help the self-congratulatory warmth creeping through his body. The man was undone, so easily - so _pathetically_ undone. He recalled suddenly, with a satisfied scoff caught in his throat, how he'd once spent days on a slight little merchant, trying to crack him. Needles under his nails and acid on his face and he still wouldn't utter a word - but Ardeth? Big, brave, fearless Ardeth - undone in a few simple moves over a silly girl. It was too wonderful for words.

_"How could I have been so blind?" _Ardeth moaned. _"She was so beautiful, so young...What would she have ever wanted with me?"_

_"It was cruel of her," _Beni spat. _"Cruel to make you believe she loved you. What reason did she have to torture you?"_

Ardeth shook his head, sinking to the floor. He sat and leaned his back against the wall, defeated.

"That woman is right," he said finally, in English. "I am a traitor. I've betrayed my country and dressed myself up like a white man and married a white girl, and what has it done for me? She loved O'Connell instead. Of course she did..._Allah, I am such a fool!"_

Beni shook his head, and crossed over to Ardeth. He stood there, looking down at him with falsely determined eyes. "No, sir. You are no fool. Even I believed that she was true to you. And a man like O'Connell? Sure, he's handsome and brave and American, but where is his sense of honor? He's not married. He has no respect for a married woman. He never cared at all who she belonged to. And Delphine's worse still! If she loved him, why would she marry you? She's silly and young, but that's just cruel, breaking a man's heart like that." He sighed, and looked in the distance to appear as one lost in his own thoughts, talking to himself. "Such people deserve to pay for their sins. The world is just not right, letting people go about their way with no consequences."

He could feel Ardeth watching him, but didn't turn to look at him until he spoke. "You're right."

Beni feigned confusion. "What? About what?"

Ardeth took a deep breath and let it out in something like a low growl. "They deserve to pay."


	18. tis a monster

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_The Streets of Alexandria: Alexandria, 1925_

**'tis a monster.**

Rick breathed a sigh, glancing to his side at the woman who sat like a statue in the back of the car with him. He couldn't believe this evening was actually happening.

Ardeth would barely look at him as they drove back from the prison; he'd waited in the car for a good fifteen minutes while Beni and Ardeth deliberated inside for some reason or another. Rick didn't know what they had discussed, but he was more than a little irritated by the way the conversation seemed to have affected his rapport with his commander. _What if they were never planning to blow up the banquet hall? What if it's something else? _But neither of them were listening to him. His voice seemed to grate on Ardeth's ears, and after minutes of trying to reason with them, Ardeth had finally snapped at him and told him to shut up. And _then,_ after minutes of silence, Beni said, _Perhaps we could station some men at the hall. Just in case. _And Ardeth agreed! God, was he invisible now? What could this all possibly be about?

And then _on top of that_, here he was handcuffed to Meela Nais, who was supposedly going to protect them and the hundred or so innocent guests at the ball from an attack. He stole another glimpse of her. She looked more like a goddess of death than a protector, dressed simply in a slinky black number Beni had found for her. If she was truly Muslim, she didn't seem bothered by the neckline that plunged almost to her navel. He'd seen such dresses on flappers before, but Meela's figure was much curvier than was the fashion, and the dress revealed just enough of her cleavage to look more garish than tasteful. Someone had brought her a make-up kit, and she'd done up her own eyes with flared lines, and Rick imagined that she looked like Cleopatra. She wasn't wearing any jewelry, but Rick hadn't noticed. No one probably would. She was coldly regal without the glint and glimmer of diamonds, and her skin was gold enough.

Rick glanced down at her injured hand, still swollen and bruised. Her broken finger was set in a little brace. He'd found it odd that she insisted (with gestures and impatient Arabic commands that he tried desperately to follow) he handcuff her on her right hand - the hand that was injured. But he figured if that's what she wanted, it was the least he could do.

The car pulled up to the banquet hall, and the driver opened the door for them. They awkwardly inched out together, caught by the wrists. Rick noticed her mouth turn down in a wince for a mere moment before quickly resuming its stony facade. They walked together in silence; Rick gave his name to the door man, and asked if he was aware of the situation with Meela. He was told it was fine and was allowed into the dazzling, sparkling affair.

Lord Chamberlain had told them not to expect a warm welcome, but this was far from getting the cold shoulder. The banquet hall was large and grand; enormous chandeliers twinkled from the ceiling, and a band was already playing in full swing. Dozens and dozens of round tables, covered in pink linen, were situated around the dance floor. And off to the side was a full bar. Rick scanned the huge room for a familiar face, but quickly decided an empty table was the next best thing. He pointed one out to Meela, but they didn't make it very far. A hand caught Rick's arm, and he whirled around to meet Jonathan's grinning face, still a little swollen from the other night.

"Hello, my good fellow!" he shouted just a little too loudly. "Fancy seeing you here!"

"Hey. It's good to see you up and moving, buddy," Rick said awkwardly. He searched for the right words to say; he'd apologized about the damage he'd apparently caused already, but somehow the matter never quite felt settled. Jonathan, however, wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention.

"Who's your lovely guest?"

Rick snorted. "This is Meela Nais. She's one of the Egyptian rebels, and she doesn't speak a word of English."

"I speak it fine," her cold, cultured voice cut in. Rick's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really? Just - _really?_ That whole interrogation, I could've known what was going on? Really?"

Her eyes narrowed at him for a second before she glanced back towards the tables. "Can we sit?"

"I'm Jonathan Carnahan," their drunken companion put in. He held out his hand to shake hers, but she raised up her bludgeoned appendage - chained unfortunately to Rick's - and gave him a look. "Ooh," Jonathan made a face. "I say, that's a nasty scrape you've gotten your hand into."

"Blame your brother-in-law," she told him evenly, meeting Rick's surprised eyes with a sigh. "You think we are awfully stupid, but we know all about you."

Rick gave her a sarcastic smile and turned his attention to Jonathan. "I'm going to go find the lady a seat."

Jonathan said something about joining them, but they glided easily away from him into the crowd. Rick was just pulling out a chair for Meela when he noticed Evelyn only a few tables over, sitting alone. His breath caught for a second as his eyes slid over her form, perfectly wrapped in a deep blue velvet gown. He'd never seen her wear anything quite so eye-catching, and he found his heart thudding wildly over everything: from the neckline that plunged just a little deeper than normal, to the flirtacious slit up the side. The dress clung to her figure - a figure he now knew, though he wanted to know better. His mind went fuzzy with the thought of pulling her into a bathroom or back hallway and kissing her until her lips were swollen...peeling that dark velvet off of her skin and making love to her all over again -

"Are you going to sit?" Meela asked testily.

Rick met her eyes and tried to blink away the sensual images floating in his mind. "Uh, actually, let's go over here."

She started to protest, but he wasn't listening. He pulled her over to the table and watched Evelyn's lovely face light up when their eyes met.

"Major O'Connell," she smiled. "Good evening."

He couldn't help the lopsided grin plastered across his face. "You look beautiful tonight, Evelyn."

Evelyn's cheeks flushed a little as she glanced down at her hands. "I'm so self-conscious. It's a little flashy..."

"It's perfect."

She smiled and looked up at him. They stared at each other for a moment longer before she noticed Meela. "Oh, won't you two have a seat?"

Rick helped Meela sit down and took the seat between her and Evelyn.

"Oh, uh, Evelyn, this is Meela Nais -"

Evelyn groaned. "Yes, I heard." She looked at the woman sympathetically. "I'm terribly sorry they've dragged you out here. They should have just cancelled this thing. It's awfully humiliating for you."

Meela snorted. "I believe that was the point."

Evelyn held out her hand. "I'm Mrs. Gabor. And_ again_, I'm very sorry - "

Meela's eyes widened, and she turned her shocked face to Rick. She called him something he didn't understand in Arabic and slapped him hard across the face.

"Hey!"

"What the hell is your problem, bringing me to this table to sit with these people?" she demanded. "You don't think her snivelling little rat of a husband isn't on his way over?"

As if on cue, Beni appeared, balancing a martini and an old-fashioned in his hands. He set the martini down in front of Evelyn and met Meela's gaze with a sneer.

_"Aren't we ravishing tonight, Mrs. Nais?" _he said in Arabic.

She clenched her teeth and stared away from him stubbornly. Beni let out a loud sigh.

"O'Connell, your date is a real bore."

Rick gave him a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, thanks for setting us up. We're really hitting it off."

They sat in silence for a moment; Beni snickering at Meela and Meela glaring at the table, while Evelyn sipped at her drink and Rick tried not to make it too obvious that he kept stealing glances at her.

"So...how long til we can leave this shindig?" he finally asked.

Evelyn sighed. "Not soon enough. I hate these things."

Beni opened his mouth to say something, but just then Delphine appeared, looking girlish and radiant in a pale pink gown. Her expression was worried, though, and even though they were clearly no longer puffy, the redness in her eyes hinted at tears.

"May I sit with you?" Before anyone could answer, she took a seat next to Beni, and eyed his glass. "And may I have a drink of that?"

Beni pushed the glass towards her and she took a slow sip, her face contorting a little as she swallowed. She took a little shaking breath and looked around the table.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "Ardeth is just saying the strangest things to me."

Delphine gasped back a little sob, and Evelyn reached over and took her hand. "Would you like to accompany me to the restroom?"

She nodded, and the two women maneuvered out of the bustling ballroom into one of the back hallways. By the time they were quite alone, Delphine was crying. Evelyn tried to comfort her, but she just shook her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Evy. I'm just so confused."

Evelyn took her hands and gave them a little squeeze. "It's alright. What happened?"

"It's Ardeth," she managed betweens sobs. "Ever since he came back from that prison, he's just been so cruel! He's accusing me of the worst things!"

Evelyn took a deep breath. "That doesn't sound like him."

"It's not like him!" she cried. "Not at all! I don't know what's gotten into him."

Her cousin nodded slowly, letting go of Delphine's hands to cross her arms over her chest. "What's he been saying?"

Delphine just shook her head. "Oh, Evy, it's so embarrassing!" She tried to gain control of her faltering breath. She sniffled and reached a hand up to wipe away her tears. "He's been calling me terrible names and accusing me of...of..._being with_ other men."

Evelyn frowned in confusion, but Delphine burst into tears again. Evelyn reached over and rubbed her shoulder, and Delphine wrapped her arms around her in a desperate hug. Her tears wet the back of Evelyn's neck.

"Why would he say these things to me? Would a woman ever betray her husband? I mean, isn't it quite ridiculous, what he's saying? Can you even imagine being with a man besides Beni? Double-crossing him like that? Who would do such a thing?"

Evelyn swallowed uneasily, gently pulling out of Delphine's embrace to look her in the eye.

"Who knows why people do what they do?"

Delphine shook her head. "But what woman ever_ would?"_

Evelyn glanced at the floor, and found herself wringing her hands nervously. "Plenty, Delphine. Lots. People do it all the time."

Delphine's face twisted in surprise, as if she couldn't believe what her cousin was telling her. She took a step back and stared at her like a curious child.

"But why?"

Evelyn pressed her lips together, trying to sort out the right words without betraying herself. "Well...not everyone marries for love like you and Ardeth did. And sometimes...people fall in love after they're already married. With someone else."

Delphine crossed her arms over her chest and actually stomped her foot. "But how could Ardeth accuse me of something like that? We've only been married a few days! And I love him so - surely he knows that. When would I have had time to fall in love with someone else? Oh, Evy, I'm so confused!"

She tried to choke back her tears, and Evelyn reached a hand for her shoulder again, giving it a little shake. Delphine's brilliantly blue eyes met hers fearfully, and Evelyn gave her shoulder a small squeeze.

"Listen to me," she said, "don't cry. It's going to be alright. You haven't done anything wrong. Not a single thing. You're a beautiful girl - "

"Thank you."

"No, you have to listen," Evelyn went on. "I'm not paying you a compliment. You're a beautiful girl and men notice you, even if you're not paying them any mind. And Ardeth loves you and he's jealous for you, and he knows other men are looking. This isn't finishing school. You're a married woman and you can't act the way you used to."

Delphine shook her head. "But I haven't - "

"It doesn't always make sense," Evelyn interrupted her. "And I know you've done nothing wrong. But that's how it is. That's how men are. Do you understand?"

Delphine bit her lip, picking nervously at her nails. "Yes, I suppose so."

Evelyn gave her a sympathetic smile. "That's good. This will all pass in no time, you'll see."

Delphine started to say something in return, but a scream broke through the muffled hubub of the party going on just down the hall. The women looked at each other, mouths gaping as the sound of gunshots ripped through the air. The band stopped, and the noise of chaos took its place. Evelyn took Delphine's arm and pulled her against the wall.

"What do we do?" her cousin asked fearfully.

"I don't know."

Frantic footsteps pounded towards them. Evelyn's stomach twisted in apprehension; God, what would she do if they were found by whomever these gunmen were? She pulled Delphine close just as the figure came into sight. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized who it was.

"Beni, thank God," she breathed.

He took her by the arm, pulling her and Delphine further down the hallway. "Come on!"

"What's going on?" she asked, struggling to keep up with him in her heels.

"Egyptian rebels," he managed between labored breaths, pulling them faster down the hallway. "They came out of nowhere. Half the waitors must have been rebels in disguise."

"Ardeth!"

Delphine stopped dead in her tracks, jerking Evelyn to a halt and causing Beni's steps to falter a little. He whirled around to glare at her.

"What's wrong with you? He's fine!"

But Delphine wrestled free of their grasp and started running back towards the banquet hall. Evelyn started to follow her, but her husband's hand gripped hers hard and pulled her to a stop.

"What are you doing? We're getting out of here."

Evelyn tried to tug her arm away, but he was unmoved. She glanced nervously back towards the way her cousin had left before turning a fiery glare on him.

"No!" she shouted. "You can run like a coward, but I'm not about to let her go back there alone."

Beni shoved her hard against the wall, her back making a heavy thud when it connected. He brought his face very close to hers, and she could smell the whiskey on his breath.

"Don't you call me a coward, Evelyn! I've heard it from everyone my whole life, but I don't have to hear it from you."

Evelyn tried to push back on him, but he was just strong enough to keep her pinned there. "You_ are_ a coward!"

And suddenly, the words she'd been waiting to say for so long, too long, started coming. She couldn't stop them and she didn't want to:

"And you're not a good man! I don't care what anyone tells me about you. I'm so tired of hearing it I could scream. You're a coward and liar and bad man, and I've always known it."

He pulled his hand back and struck her hard across the face. She felt more than heard the loud_ crack_ his palm made against her cheek. Her face jerked to the side from the force of it. He spat a few choice words at her in Hungarian before shouting in her face:

"My God, Evelyn! I'm so tired of you! You can never even pretend to be my wife! All you ever are is cold. The whole world's forgiven me for torturing those people, but you can't."

Evelyn swallowed hard. Her eyes shot down the hallway again, towards the mess in the banquet hall, before returning evenly to his.

_"They_ haven't forgiven you," she spat. "And why should they? Why should anyone? You like torturing people. You've been torturing me for a year now!"

"Oh," Beni mocked her with a fake pout. "Oh, _poor _you! Poor Evelyn! So every now and then you have to sleep with me? So what? You married me. It's part of the deal."

Evelyn shook her head, turning her eyes fiercely down the hall again. "Let go of me."

He kind of scoffed and released her, taking a step back. She relaxed against the wall, and the two of them stared at each other as they struggled to regain their breath. Evelyn's heart pounded hard in her chest, and she couldn't quite get her legs to move the way she wanted them to. Her whole body shook, and it suddenly occurred to her that the side of her face was aching. She started to say something, and stopped herself, frightened of the words. Beni's mouth twisted in a cruel sneer as he kept watching her, and she kept watching him.

"What?" he asked, his tone condescending and grating. "Isn't there anything else you'd like to add, my dear?"

Somewhere down the hall, someone yelled "All clear!" They both glanced towards the banquet hall before looking back to each other.

"No," she muttered, turning to start down the hall. A moment later, she could hear his footsteps trudging along behind her. Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions pulsing in her veins. She straightened her spine, raised her head, and strode calmly down the hallway, and she knew he was doing the same. She didn't think much of Beni; she knew he wasn't a good man - that he was everything she said he was. But he was also an excellent liar...as she'd become an excellent liar.

His steps lengthened, and suddenly he was walking beside her in silence. She didn't look at him, and he didn't look at her. But they strode into the mess that was now the banquet hall together.


	19. foolishly suffered

_**Author's Note. **Just for clarification, in case I made it too confusing, this chapter begins before the last one ended. I think it's fairly clear, but I wanted to cover my bases._

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_"The Welcome Ball," A Banquet Hall: Alexandria, 1925_

**foolishly suffered.**

"Ardeth!"

Delphine couldn't bear the thought of her husband caught in the danger of a surprise attack, completely alone. His cruel words from earlier were completely forgotten as her heeled feet carried her quickly back towards the banquet hall. She didn't hear Evelyn trying to come after her, and she didn't really pay a thought to her or Beni coming with her. She didn't care about anything but Ardeth, fighting with only the pistol in his shoulder holster. In a fair fight, she knew no rebel or anyone stood a chance against her husband. But surprised - by men in waitors' uniforms, no less? - he could already be hurt, or, or -

She squeezed her eyes shut against the possibility. No, she wouldn't even think about that. Ardeth was strong and smart, and he'd faced worse skirmishes than this, she was sure of it. She halted her mind just before the idea, and wouldn't let her thoughts go any further.

Delphine burst into the banquet hall, alive with screaming and gunshots. Her deep blue eyes scanned wildly for any sign of her husband. She opened her mouth and called out for him, but her voice was lost in the chaos. She jogged a little ways further into the room, and called for him again. She looked this way and that, and then her gaze connected with a fierce-looking Arab man, blood dripping down the starched white color of his waitor's uniform. He grinned impishly at her and raised the gun in his hand, leveling it at her. Her heart stopped; her whole body froze. And then -

"Holy shit, Delphine!"

A strong hand took her wrist and jerked her to the floor. She hit the hardwood with a crack as gunshots sailed overhead. The hand gripping her wrist pulled her over towards it, under a table, and she instantly met the frazzled face of Rick O'Connell.

"Rick," she breathed. "What are you doing down here?"

Rick looked annoyed as he jerked his head at Meela, still chained to his wrist. "I'm guarding the prisoner."

"Where's Ardeth?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. Stay down."

Without another word, Rick popped up from under the table (as much as he could) and fired. The noise of the bullets made her jump. She glanced over at Meela, who's pretty face was contorted in a calculating scowl, her eyes fixed on Rick's holster. As he started to lower back down again, she made a grab for his pistol with her good hand. Rick caught her wrist just quickly enough and forced her to the floor.

"This was the plan all along, wasn't it? Get you here with all your friends?"

She scoffed, trying to wriggle out from under his arm. But Rick shook his head.

"Ah, no. I've had enough of this. Come on." He gave Delphine a hard look. "You stay down."

Delphine swallowed hard as Rick jerked Meela out from under the table. She heard Rick shout for everyone's attention, and then fire a shot at the ceiling when he didn't get a response. The chaos didn't seem to quiet then, either - until Meela shouted something in Arabic about the men of...some odd name...stopping. Delphine's Arabic was still a little shaky, but she was fairly certain that's what Meela said. If it wasn't that, it was something similar, because the entire room got quiet very quickly. Despite Rick's orders, Delphine crept out from under the table, and gasped.

"Drop your weapons, or I'm sending a bullet right through her head!" Rick was shouting.

Delphine took a shaking step back in horror, her eyes fixed on Meela's proud form and Rick's pistol to her temple. The Egyptian woman was poised with her head held high, but her hands were shaking. She told her men quietly in Arabic to do as he said. After a moment of tense silence, the rebels lowered their guns to the floor, and Ardeth's men swarmed them with handcuffs. For a few minutes, the only sound was the clicking of locks as every living rebel was arrested, his hands caught behind his back.

Rick looked hard at Meela. "Is this everybody?"

"How should I know?"

He ordered the men to do a search and make sure every breathing rebel was under arrest. Delphine's heart fell. Where was Ardeth? Shouldn't he be giving these orders?

After a few moments, someone gave an "all clear" message, and Ardeth's men began hauling the dozens of captive rebels out of the hall. Delphine breathed a sigh of relief, though the scene around her was grim. Tables were overturned and one of the beautiful chandeliers had crashed to the floor, a glittering mess of a million pieces of glass. The air smelled like blood and several people moaned in pain. Just to her left, she suddenly noticed a lovely blonde woman in a peach gown, with a grisly slit in her throat. Delphine gasped in horror when she realized the woman was dead.

"Oh, my God."

She heard Evelyn's soft wimper behind her, and whirled around to see her cousin and Beni, standing in awe just inside the banquet hall. She hurried over to them on trembling legs.

"Have you seen Ardeth?"

Beni took a breath and pointed across the room, near the door where the rebels were being taken out. Ardeth stood in his rumpled suit, arms crossed over his shoulders as he spoke with one of his men. Delphine's heart leaped in her chest. Without another thought, she rushed towards him, picking her way through the mess as quickly as she could. She pushed past a few of his men and took him by the arm.

"Oh, Ardeth, I was so worried!" she breathed, trying to embrace him. But he only looked down at her coldly.

"Delphine, I'm busy."

"But Ardeth - "

"Go wait with your cousin while I sort this mess out."

Delphine could feel tears welling in her eyes, but she fought them and held even tighter to his arm. "Oh, please, my love, don't be cruel! I've been so worried for you! I thought the worst - "

"And what of Major O'Connell?" he asked bitterly. "How is he?"

Delphine's brow furrowed in confusion, but she told him, "He's fine...he stopped this whole mess. Surely you saw him?"

"So you see to him before you see to me," Ardeth said, his voice icy.

"No! I - I couldn't find you -"

"But you had no trouble at all finding him," he bit back. He wouldn't even look at her. "I said find your cousin. Go home."

Slowly, she released his arm, breathing a defeated sigh. "Will you be coming soon?"

He turned to look at her, and his face was set in a cruel scowl. She took a step back, and for the first time, Delphine was frightened of him. "Go!"

She took a few steps backward before crossing the room back to Beni and Evelyn. Her whole body trembled. She felt sick and couldn't make the feeling in the pit of her stomach go away. Evelyn seemed to think it was the dead and injured that were making her shiver, and she pulled her into a little hug.

"Hey, O'Connell!"

Her head jerked up, and she followed Beni's gaze to Rick, unlocking the handcuffs that bound him to Meela, and freeing himself before binding her arms behind her back. He was starting towards the queue of rebels, but stopped at Beni's voice.

"Let me take her," Beni said with an impish grin. Rick glanced at Meela nervously, but didn't say anything as Beni took her by the wrists. "Take the women home."

Rick sighed and nodded. He wanted to ask what was going on - why, all of the sudden, he wasn't an integral part of their troop. But someone needed to take Evelyn and Delphine home, and he wasn't in any mood to argue with Beni. He wasn't in any mood to watch him hurt Meela Nais, either. He ushered the women out the door and they drove back to the mansion in silence. Before they even stepped in the door, Delphine told them she was going to bed.

"Sometimes you just need to go to sleep to make everything better. I've gone to bed after terrible days and woken up to lovely ones," she'd said, though her voice was tired and she didn't seem to trust her own words. Rick waited until she had trudged up the stairs before pulling Evelyn into the back study.

"Have you told anyone about us? Like Delphine?"

Evelyn shook her head in confusion. "God, no. Just a little bit ago I was having to explain to her why anyone would even cheat on their spouse in the first place."

Rick sighed, nearly falling into the sofa. "Something fishy is going on."

"Oh?"

"Somebody knows," he said, rubbing his face in exhaustion. "I don't know_ how_, but somebody knows. Ardeth was asking me the weirdest questions about sleeping with someone else's wife, and now all the sudden he's shutting me out of major decisions. Like I just don't even matter anymore."

Evelyn let out a long sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. She paced a little on the carpet. "I don't know how anyone would know..."

"I don't either!"

"I haven't said a word to anyone, I swear," she said. "Goodness, it's only been going on for a day!"

Rick nodded. "I know!"

"Still..." Evelyn reached a hand up to her lips, sucking on her thumbnail absently. "Fidelity is very important to Arabs, you know. However Ardeth knows, he must be considering it a grave character flaw."

"Yeah," Rick sighed. "That and Beni's a soldier. You know, we're all...in it together. Ardeth probably thinks it's a real shitty thing to do to him. I mean, it is."

Evelyn snorted, reaching a hand up to her still-aching cheek. "Trust me, it's nothing he doesn't deserve." She let out a humorless laugh. "Or hasn't already done."

"That's not going to matter to Ardeth," Rick reminded. "The guy saved his life. And he's a lieutenant now...I mean, obviously, he trusts him a lot. And, you know, even if he didn't..."

Rick's voice trailed off, and their eyes met. The words were stuck in Rick's throat, and he couldn't quite find the right ones to say.

"It's just...not right," he managed finally, the words tumbling awkwardly out of his mouth.

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her temple. She glanced up the ceiling and tried to retain her composure. "So...what then? We end it? Just like that?"

"No," Rick said quickly. "I mean, I don't know..."

"We come clean, then?"

He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. "Let's say we did."

"Alright," Evelyn breathed, nodding her head thoughtfully. "Let's say we did. We tell everyone we've fallen in love and have been having an affair. Then Ardeth throws you out of his ranks for being disloyal to your fellow soldier, and Beni ruins my father's political career by giving me a divorce. Or he doesn't, and keeps me miserable, and my father's still ruined because of the scandal."

Rick winced. "Would it really be that bad?"

She sighed again, settling into the chair across from him. "Believe me, I've considered the possibility before. Without an affair. I once thought of making one up just to get out of this terrible marriage. But I couldn't ruin my father like that. He's worked so hard to earn his appointments -"

"So then what?" Rick's voice was angrier than he meant it to be. "We just...sneak around forever?"

She looked at her hands sheepishly. "I don't know..."

"I don't want that, Evelyn. I want you. And I don't want to share you."

Evelyn pressed her lips into a little line, "It's not that simple..."

"What if we made it simple?" Rick retorted. "What if I said I'd marry you the minute you left him? And fuck all that other stuff. I don't care about being a military-police officer. And I don't care about your father's political career. He's a grown man and he can handle himself. I want _you,_ Evelyn."

She stared at him in utter shock, her mouth hanging open a little. He was worried he'd deeply offended her, talking as he had about her father. And after a silent moment he was ready to apologize, but her whisper cut him off:

"You want to marry me?"

Rick tried to hide an embarrassed smile, but couldn't. "Yeah..."

"We hardly know one another."

His face fell a little, but he wasn't ready to give up. "I don't care. You're special. You're different from all the other women I know."

Evelyn's face broke into a sweet smile, but she quickly shook her head and tried to subdue it. "He might not give me a divorce."

Rick scoffed, and raised an eyebrow. "So...is that a yes?"


	20. an unauthorized kiss

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

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_Alexandria Prison: Alexandria, 1925_

**an unauthorized kiss.**

Beni stood in front of the prison bars, a horrible, satisfied smirk on his face. He'd spent plenty of time on the wrong side of them, and he'd spent much, much time completely powerless. In many ways, his path to this very point had been marked by apparently bad luck. He'd kind of fallen into interrogation; he hated the battlefield and was often cursed cowardly and unreliable. His time in the Legion had been bleak, and he never would've served it in the first place if it hadn't been for the French police and their impatience with him. They'd had enough of him in their prisons, so they threw him into the desert. By chance he landed himself in an interrogation room one day during the 1919 revolt, because somebody or another was sick or injured or dead, and he'd surprised everyone by being impeccably good at it. Beni had spent much, too much, of his time completely powerless. And he weilded power worse than any bully he'd ever encountered, because he knew what weakness felt like. He knew how fear worked. He knew what people did when they were trapped in a corner with nowhere else to turn. And he liked seeing people in those circumstances. It was a pleasant reminder that he wasn't there anymore.

_"Alright, dogs!"_ he yelled in Arabic, and they were quickly silent, scowling at him in a huddled mass. _"I don't believe we've all been properly introduced - except you, my dear Mrs. Nais - but I'm Lieutenant Gabor. I know you've all heard of me. But contrary to what you have all heard, we can be comrades. If you tell me what I need to know, we will get along spendidly. But if you insist on being loyal or funny or just goddamn_ quiet,_ our relationship won't be so nice. You know what I've done to your friends and brothers, so be warned. And you might as well know, I will find out what I need to know, one way or another. Do we understand each other?"_

The rebels grumbled, and a few of them spat at the floor, or at him. But Beni was used to that. He stayed just out of reach, and wished them all a _very_ pleasant night. He turned and looked at Ardeth, leaning against the wall with a distant look on his face. Beni sighed.

"Are you ready to go home?"

Ardeth blinked, as if shaking himself out of a reverie. He turned and looked at his companion. "I think I'm ready. I think I'm finally ready."

They started down the hall, but Ardeth quickly stopped him. He got very close to Beni, and whispered in his ear.

"I'm going to kill her. I can't take it anymore."

Beni raised his eyebrows. He hadn't quite anticipated that reaction. Kill Delphine? What about O'Connell?

"Oh?"

"I see it over and over in my head," he hissed, his hushed voice the only sound in the dark hallway. "I see her with him, and I can't stand it. She promised me...forever, but instead she whores herself out to O'Connell."

"And what about him?" Beni put in quickly. "What are you going to do to him?"

Ardeth took a deep breath, and his body stiffened. "Believe me, I've thought of that, too."

Beni did his best to hide his impatience. "And?"

"I'll kill them both. Tonight."

Beni chewed on his lip for a moment, contemplating his words in the dank, close space. His eyes flitted up and met Ardeth's in the darkness. "Let me kill O'Connell."

Ardeth started to shake his head, but Beni was quick to interrupt whatever reasons he had in mind. "Please. I'm your man. And I've suffered seeing you suffer. Let me kill him."

Ardeth's eyes, so hard and black since the discovery of the handkerchief, softened for the first time in a while. He put his hand on Beni's shoulder and nodded.

"You are my only friend."

Beni looked down at his feet, nodding sheepishly. "I'm only performing my duty."

"No," Ardeth insisted. "You are a true friend. Everyone lied and hid the truth...except for you."

Beni nodded quietly, and together they strode down the hall and out of the prison, into the cold desert night. Ardeth said nothing else to him as they rode together back to the mansion. Beni stared out the window as they sped along, his heart thudding away in his chest. He was going to do it. He was going to kill O'Connell. The plan was already set in place. Now he only needed to wait for the dead of night...

The car pulled into the driveway, and they walked silently into the mansion. Everything was dark downstairs, and Ardeth bid him goodnight. Beni took a breath, watching him trudge purposefully up the stairs. He was reminded of his own wife, sleeping or reading in their room, and let out a disgruntled sigh. She was probably still angry with him. She was always angry with him. Then again...she'd looked awfully stunning at the ball, and he needed to do something to quiet his nerves before he went about his business with O'Connell.

He glanced down the hall, to Bianca's door, and decided she was probably the easier of the two. Her lights were off, but she welcomed him in with an enthusiastic kiss and was eager to be service. When he was finished, she fell asleep and he left without a word. It was only 11:30. Sighing, Beni decided to go up and lay in bed for a few hours. He figured Evelyn was probably asleep anyway.

But when he reached his room, light was streaming from under the door. He groaned, muttering something to himself in Hungarian before slipping inside.

He expected Evelyn to be ready for bed and reading, but she wasn't. She was still dressed in her evening gown, and sat straight-backed in the chair at the desk. She looked at him as if she'd been waiting for him to walk in at any moment.

"I heard Ardeth get in. I thought you'd be close behind."

Beni sighed, starting to unbutton his suit. "I had a drink in the kitchen."

"Oh."

He looked over at her curiously, and stopped undressing. "What are you doing up?"

She cleared her throat in a nervous manner, glancing at her hands, and then folding them in her lap. "There was something I wanted to...talk to you about."

He looked up and met her eyes expectantly. She took a deep breath and said the words in a voice as firm as she could manage:

"I want a divorce."

Beni sighed loudly, rubbing his face. "Oh, _come on,"_ he kind of whined. "I'm sorry I hit you, okay?"

Evelyn swallowed hard and almost rolled her eyes, but stopped herself. "It's not about that."

He crossed his arms over his chest, irritated. "What's it about, then?"

She pressed her lips together for a thoughtful moment. "I'm just...I'm not happy. I never have been."

"So what?" he demanded. Beni couldn't believe this. Of all nights, with so much on his mind, she had to go and play around at_ this_ conversation? "Who's happy? I haven't met one goddamned happily married person in my life."

But Evelyn was adamant. "I don't want to be with you anymore."

"Oh," he laughed saracastically, "oh, that's new! Damn it, Evelyn, I'm tired. Can we just go to bed?"

She set her jaw and shook her head. "I'm not going to bed with you. I never want to go to bed with you again."

"Oh, for the love of_ God..."_ His voice was really whiny now, and it grated on her ears.

"Why is this so difficult for you to believe?" she demanded. When he met her eyes, she looked just as irritated as he was feeling.

Beni rolled his eyes. "Come on, Evelyn. No one gets divorced - "

"Of course they do!"

"Who?" he shot back. "Who do we know that's divorced? No one! It's a man's decision, anyway."

Evelyn stood up in her chair angrily. "What's that supposed to mean? I can't ask for a divorce?"

Beni let out a loud sigh, as if she'd asked him the stupidest question in the world. "Divorces are for men who married whores. Everybody knows that."

"Well - "

Evelyn stopped dead in her tracks, and Beni met her eyes evenly. He stared at her a long moment, daring her to say the words waiting on her lips. She wrung her hands, and they tumbled out:

"Well I've fallen in love...with someone...and I've slept with him. You'd divorce me over that, wouldn't you?"

His expression changed to something unreadable. He took a slow step towards her, and she couldn't help taking a step back.

"You've done what?"

Beni watched her swallow uneasily, and keep taking steps back and as he came closer to her. She seemed surprised when her back collided with the wall; he took two steps and had her pinned. She was wringing her hands until he grabbed her wrists and held them firmly against the wall.

"You know, being such a prude I never thought you'd do such a thing. Even though you're pretty."

He watched her chest rise and fall quickly, and her eyes flit around the room in fear.

"Please," she whispered, "please. You don't care about me. You never have. Just divorce me. Humiliate me if you want to. But please just let me go."

Beni cocked his head to the side, a little sneer on his face. "You've already reached the begging stage. And I haven't even hurt you yet."

Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut, breathing heavily. "Don't..."

He scoffed. He could feel her body trembling against his, and he liked it.

He liked seeing her in these circumstances. It was a pleasant reminder that he wasn't there anymore.

"Kiss me, Evelyn. You never kiss me anymore."

She swallowed hard, looking up into his eyes. "I want a divorce."

He snorted. "And I'd rather slit your throat. Come on now, my darling. Give me a kiss."

Evelyn shook her head. "It's not going to stop. Even if you won't divorce me, I swear I won't leave him -"

His eyes narrowed.

"This is the third time I'm having to ask."

"I won't!"

Beni pushed her harder against the wall and leaned into take her lips, anyway. But in a flash, she wrenched her hand free from his grasp and slapped him hard across the face. He reeled a little, taking a step back on his heel in shook. When he looked up at her, his eyes were burning and his fist was clocked back to strike her. But his arm froze as a strange, howling noise ripped through the house.


	21. put out the light

_**Author's Note. **Another chapter that backs up a little from where the last one left off. I know you all are smart enough to figure that out. I'm just paranoid I don't make things clear enough sometimes._

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**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925_

**put out the light.**

Ardeth's heart felt heavy in his chest as he started up the stairs alone, the darkness consuming him and the quiet of the house just a little too close and uncomfortable. Everything within him hurt. It hurt to move and to think and to feel that same, constant longing for Delphine. He didn't want this to be happening. His whole self was consumed with her, dying for the version of her he knew before he saw the handkerchief in Rick O'Connell's suitcase.

What if he'd never seen it? What if O'Connell had been more careful packing away his things, and he'd never known? Would he be happy right now? Would he be rushing up the stairs to kiss his beautiful wife, to delight himself in the love and passion he'd only felt a few days ago? How different tonight could have been!

Instead he trudged up and up, each step harder than the last, like an arthritic man. He dreaded this thing he was about to do, but he couldn't find any way around it. When he thought of Delphine, caught up in Rick's embrace, his mind went cloudy and red with fury. He couldn't think, he couldn't focus, and he was certainly ineffective as a commander. He never knew when these images would take his mind, but when they did, he was completely powerless over them. All he could feel was rage. The rest of the time, he hurt.

In those moments of pain, he'd considered everything. He could send her away - divorce her in public or in private - but he just couldn't stand the thought of her running into Rick's arms. He'd be crippled forever, knowing they were together and in love. And the images would keep coming, til the day he finally died. No, he couldn't live like that. He had to kill her.

If she was dead, she couldn't hurt him anymore. If she was dead, perhaps the images would fade. And maybe one day, he'd only be left with the memories of her love, or feigned love, and the sweetness of her kiss.

Ardeth paused. He was at the door now. All was dark and quiet inside. He took a breath, and twisted the doorknob.

The moon had waned fro the evening that they'd arrived, but the night was clear and it hung like a chipped pearl, filling the room with cold light. Delphine lay sleeping on the bed, her chest rising and falling in calm, even breaths. Ardeth crept closer, and his throat tightened painfully. Her skin glowed like ivory in the moonlight, her face so pallid she looked more like a doll than a living person. Her dark hair was spread out in waves all around her head, and shone just faintly bluish under the moon's soft gaze. Her lips, usually so full and pink, looked a little gray now, and were just slightly parted. All he could hear was her breathing. Her thin nightgown was almost translucent over her body, and he wanted to weep.

He was reminded of a story Delphine had told him, with a childlike grin because he'd never heard it before, about a princess who ate a poisoned apple and died. She looked like the princess just now, beautiful enough for a glass coffin.

Except that she was still breathing.

Ardeth closed his eyes and attempted to gather his thoughts. She was laying there so perfectly still, like she was already dead. Like the deed had been done for him. He frowned thoughtfully. There was a prince in that story Delphine had told him. He woke up the princess with a kiss.

He almost moaned at the thought of kissing her, of feeling her warm lips, if only for the last time. He looked down at her and tried to remember how things used to be between them. In his mind, he caught a glimpse of her, cuddled close to him in the firelight, promising she'd never be afraid.

He leaned over her and gave her a soft kiss. Her lips were warm, and after a moment he could feel her kissing him back. When he opened his eyes, she was smiling up at him.

"Ardeth," she whispered. And suddenly she was embracing him, pulling him into her arms. He could feel her kisses dotting the side of his face, his neck...and his body stiffened. Gently, he pulled away. Her face fell in disappointment and confusion. "Oh, please don't tell me you're still angry with me."

"Delphine..."

He shook his head and turned away from her. She reached for his arm, but he jerked it away.

"Won't you please tell me what I've done," she said. He didn't have to look at her to know her eyes were glazed with tears. "Whatever it is, I'm more sorry than you can imagine. I love you desperately. Can't you see that?"

"Lies," Ardeth spat, his face contorting with bitterness. "Why must you keep lying to me?"

Delphine shook her head. "What can I do to convince you that I love you?"

He let out a short sigh, and met her eyes. "Bring me the handkerchief I gave to you."

She blinked in confusion a few times. "The handkerchief?" He watched her steadily, but she could only shake her head. "I'm sorry, Ardeth, I lost it...I didn't want to tell you. I know it means so much to you. I kept hoping it would turn up -"

"Stop it!"

His growling demand made her jump. She inched away from him, just barely.

"Damn it, Delphine, can't you see I know? I know all about you and Major O'Connell!"

She frowned, so very perplexed she could hardly utter a word. Her wide, ocean-colored eyes gawked at him for a full minute before she was finally able to stammer out:

"M-Major O'Connell?"

Ardeth pounded his fists against the mattress. "Yes, Major O'Connell! My God, Delphine, I saw the handkerchief in his suitcase!"

He rose to his feet, the images assailing him again. He leered towards her and she found herself backpedalling, crawling over to the other side of the bed.

"My love, this is some kind of mistake. I didn't give it to him - I would never give -"

_"Stop it!"_ he growled again. "Stop playing so innocent! I can't stand it from you!"

He lunged at her, grasping her around the middle and pinning her to the bed. Her mouth gaped for the proper words to beg, but she struck dumb by the ferocity in his eyes. He pulled himself to his knees and and held her down, their faces only inches away. His breath came, hot and moist against her face.

"I loved you! I would have loved you my whole life! How could you do such a thing to me?"

Delphine could only shake her head, tears streaming down her face in burning rivers. She choked back a sob and gasped, "Ardeth, I didn't -"

But he covered her words with pillow. His hand was firm just over her nose and mouth, and he could almost feel her face under the layers of down. Her arms flailed wildly about, her fingernails ripping short little lines into his arms. Her hand reached for his face, and he expected it to grasp at him desperately, angrily...but her palm was soft and gentle against his cheek. She held it there tenderly until her arms finally dropped to her sides.

He kept the pillow over her face a second longer, just to be sure her body was perfectly limp. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to still his heart before he finally lifted the pillow.

In his mind, he'd imagined this moment being one of great relief. He'd imagined it coming on him in waves, the pain dulled down to a quiet thud that he knew would eventually go away. But when he pulled off the pillow and looked into her face, now truly lifeless, the pain came on a thousand times worse. He felt needles coursing through his veins, unbearably sharp and cruel, piercing every inch of his soul.

The images of Delphine and Rick were gone. How could they have ever been there? Instead they were replaced by her stony, unmoving visage.

She didn't look like the princess in the story at all.

She was dead. Really dead, like the hundreds, thousands he'd seen on a battlefield. How could he not have known it would be like this? Had he not taken life before? There had never been relief - not when stabbing a dangerous stranger, and certainly not after smothering his darling Delphine.

The pain was draining into sickening emptiness. Could she be gone? Truly gone? With a trembling hand, he touched her face, smoothed her hair. She was still warm, like the last ember of an extinguished flame. But she was gone.

She was gone.

It washed over him in waves. Waves upon salty, bitter, disasterous waves. He drowned in the moonlight as the words pounded in his head. _She's gone. She's gone. She's gone. She's gone._

He turned his eyes from her and was suddenly looking at himself in the mirror. God, he despised himself in this stupid Western suit. He wanted sackcloth. He wanted ashes. He wanted to rock back and forth in the dusty street, mourning the way his people mourned. He'd rather die than sit here another second like these bloodless English people, guarding himself in silent turmoil so that the world wouldn't suspect he hurt, wouldn't suspect he felt_ anything_.

Ardeth took hold of his shirt and ripped it from his body. The fabric tore across his skin and hung loosely as he threw his head back and wailed.

* * *

_**Author's Note. **So can you believe there's only one chapter left? Kinda bummed, yet so excited. In a tragic, Shakespearean kind of way, of course._


	22. and sweet revenge grows harsh

_**Author's Note. **Well, can you believe it? Like...4 years in the making, and it's complete. I appreciate all the feedback on this piece; at some point I'm going to go through and clean up some of the chapters due to spelling/grammar, but for now I'm just going to enjoy the fact that this is a finished story. Thanks again for following and reviewing!_

* * *

**AND LOVE THEE AFTER**

* * *

_The Governor's Mansion: Alexandria, 1925_

**and sweet revenge grows harsh.**

"Ardeth, please open the door."

Evelyn stood at the threshhold of Ardeth and Delphine's room, somehow the appointed ambassador. She glanced over her shoulder nervously, meeting Rick's worried eyes. Beni leaned against the wall smoking a cigarette, ignoring Lord Chamberlain's glare. Jonathan yawned, attempting to rub his face free of sleep, and that little Russian maid stood just to the left of him, her eyes darting this way and that, a cup of tea in her hand.

"It's Evelyn."

Ardeth didn't answer, and the group looked about helplessly as another horrible moan reverberated through the house. And then Beni, without even glancing up, suggested around his cigarette:

"Is it even locked?"

Taking a breath, Evelyn tried the doorknob and found it twisted easily. She glanced back at her companions. "Should I just...go in?"

"He's not responding to anything else," Lord Chamberlain snipped. "And some of us would like to get some sleep tonight. If he's performing some heathen ritual, he can do it in the morning. Or outside."

Evelyn shot him a little look and opened the door, slipping inside. She met Ardeth's eyes in the moonlight and gasped, taking a trembling step backwards. A moment later, she noticed Delphine sprawled haphazardly on the bed. She covered her mouth and willed herself to walk closer, but her feet were frozen.

"Ardeth," she whispered, "what happened?"

The handsome man was hunched on the side of the bed like a crumbling statue, holding his head in his hands.

"She's gone...she's gone."

Evelyn swallowed hard, glancing at Delphine again. Steeling her spine, she crossed the room slowly over to Ardeth and tried to avoid looking at her cousin again. Her hand shook as she rested it on his shoulder.

"What happened?" she asked again gently.

"She's gone," he whispered. "I've taken her."

Evelyn's insides twisted with fear. She glanced back towards the door and longed desperately for someone else to be in the room with her, but she didn't dare call for anyone. Ardeth looked at her like a wild man, his eyes black and crazed and frightening. Her legs tightened, and she fought the urge to step away from him.

"Why?" she said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.

He shook his head, and his voice cracked with a sob. "She was a whore. She pretended to love me and kept O'Connell as a lover behind my back."

"No," Evelyn breathed. She shook her head firmly, and unbeknownst to herself, her hand tightened on his shoulder. "No, Ardeth...no..."

He nodded gravely. "It's true. Ask your husband. He knows. He's been my only honest friend."

Evelyn gasped, and fear left her body. Her blood started to boil within her.

"My husband?" She could barely call him that, just then.

Ardeth looked at her curiously, nodding his head again. "Yes, your husband. Lieutenant Gabor."

"My husband." The words hissed through her teeth, and she whirled around to face the door.

"Yes! We discovered her handkerchief in O'Connell's suitcase together."

Evelyn's teeth clenched as she crossed the room in quick, determined strides and threw open the door._ "Beni!"_

Her voice was even harsher than she thought it would be. The crowd jumped, and Beni glanced up from his cigarette.

"Get in here," she commanded. He gave her a look and wandered inside. The others cautiously followed. Evelyn was vaguely aware of Bianca's gasp, and some surprised exclamations from Jonathan and Lord Chamberlain. Someone might have asked what happened, but she wasn't listening.

"Did you tell Ardeth that Delphine was unfaithful to him? With Major O'Connell?"

Beni shrugged. "I didn't have to. The evidence was right there."

Rick took a step forward, eyeing him. _"What_ evidence?"

"The handkerchief," Ardeth whispered. "The handkerchief..."

Somewhere in the back of the crowd, Bianca gasped again. She said something quickly in Russian, and Beni retorted. Evelyn watched them in awe, her anger rising and making her head foggy. She crossed the room to Beni and took him roughly by the arm.

"What did she say?"

He smirked. "Nothing."

Evelyn huffed a sigh, turning her glare to Bianca now. "What did you say?"

Bianca whispered something else in Russian, her voice sounding like a beg. She gazed at Beni but he wouldn't look at her. Breathing a trembling sigh, Bianca walked over to Evelyn and took her hand.

"Please...forgive. I and your husband - "

"I fucked her," Beni cut in tersely. Bianca gasped and stared at him with horrified eyes, but he only scoffed. "She doesn't care about that, anyway."

Bianca swallowed hard, a hurt expression on her face as she gaped at him a moment longer. Then her eyes narrowed at him. "I find...handkerchief. He said he would...give it back to its person."

Ardeth's head jerked up. He stared at Beni, and Beni stared back at him. For a moment there wasn't a sound in the room. Evelyn watched Ardeth's face contort in excrutiating pain as the broken shards of truth fell in his lap.

"You planted it," he whispered. "You put it in his suitcase."

Beni sighed, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Why...?"

Ardeth's voice was so pained that Evelyn was surprised not to see tears in his eyes. Beni crossed his arms over his chest, gesturing at him with his cigarette.

"Why? Why did you overlook me for that promotion? O'Connell's a goddamn idiot and everyone knows I was perfect for the position. You betrayed_ me,_ you bastard!"

Ardeth's whole body shook as he pulled himself off of the bed. He looked wild and dangerous, his clothes hanging from his body and his eyes burning darker and harder than they ever had before. He took a step towards Beni, his hands balled into fists.

"You lied to me! You told me she was unfaithful!"

Beni scoffed. "And you believed it. It was too easy, the way you worshipped her and fell all over yourself like a fool. It's not my fault you didn't trust her."

Ardeth snarled, lunging towards him like a beast. He took him by the throat and shoved him against the wall.

"She was everything to me!"

Beni coughed and struggled to swallow, but he met Ardeth's eyes evenly. "I know. And now you have nothing."

Ardeth shook his head, his face contorting with unreadable expressions. He banged Beni's head hard against the wall before releasing him and taking a staggering step backwards. His eyes welled with tears, and he turned to look back at Delphine in horror. He touched her foot and let out a strange cry, pulling a knife from somewhere on of his person. He held it high, and for the first time Beni cringed, looking scared and powerless against his wrath. He took a few shaking sidesteps closer to the crowd.

"You're a coward," Ardeth whispered. "You couldn't fight me like a man. You had to sneak up on me like a thief."

Beni snorted. He might have started to say something, but Ardeth plunged the knife into his own heart. Bianca let out a scream, and everyone took a step back as his legs buckled beneath him, and he fell first to his knees, and then onto his chest. Evelyn covered her face and stepped as quickly as she could over to Rick. She let him hold her as she tried to banish the image from her mind.

The room was silent.

Evelyn felt like she spent forever behind the blackness of her eyelids, trying to sort through the numb haze of terrible events. Delphine was dead, and now Ardeth, and all because of her husband and that stupid promotion? She could hardly decipher the thoughts whipping around in her head, and it wasn't until she heard Lord Chamberlain's clipped voice that she opened her eyes.

"And where do you think you're going?"

The tall, older man had Beni by the arm, who had apparently made it about half-way out of the room before someone noticed him.

"Oh, come on," Beni whined, trying to wrench free of his grasp. "It's an open and closed case. He murdered her and then killed himself. What do you want with me?"

"Major O'Connell," Lord Chamberlain said, "Lieutenant Gabor has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder, and I've removed him from his post. Would you be so kind as to place him under arrest and deliver him to the prison?"

Beni turned and met Rick's eyes, and just then noticed Evelyn caught up in his arms. He sneered. "So that's it."

Evelyn met his gaze evenly. "Yes."

Beni's jaw clenched, glaring at Rick as he crossed the room and took him by the arm. "You know, she's not as good as she looks."

Rick gave him a sarcastic smile. "You know, I_ think_ I might have one more set of handcuffs on me." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a set. "Ah! How lucky."

Beni tried to break free of his grasp again, but Rick easily held him in his place and handcuffed his arms behind his back. Pushing him out the door, he leaned in to say:

"You know...there's a lot that I feel like doing to you right now, but I figure - what's the point? There's a ton of Egyptian rebels who are going to be _thrilled_ to see you."

Beni swallowed hard. Evelyn could just hear him trying to reason with Rick as he pushed him along the hallway and down the stairs.

She took a breath, glancing back at her remaining company. Lord Chamberlain sighed, his gaze flitting over the room before stepping out into the hallway.

"Bianca, it's awfully late, but if that room doesn't get cleaned up immediately, it's going to smell by morning."

The little maid nodded quickly, thrusting her hands in the pockets of her apron. "I find some boys to help me."

"Very well," he said, glancing towards Evelyn. "I want you all out of my house by morning."

Without another word, he turned and trudged down the hall towards his room. Bianca pushed past her with an "excuse me," barely looking at her with embarrassed eyes before hurrying down the stairs. Evelyn looked over her shoulder, meeting Jonathan's form in the doorway.

"Why did this happen?" she whispered, her voice finally breaking.

Jonathan shook his head, gazing steadily into the room. Evelyn followed his eyes, but she couldn't bear to see Delphine on the bed and Ardeth on the floor, so tragically undone.

"They really loved one another," she went on, her throat catching with a sob. "They really..."

The tears started falling, and suddenly Jonathan's hands were on her shoulders, gently pulling her out of the room. He closed the door and they stood together in the darkness, no longer figures in the moon's odd glow. He took her in his arms and held her, just the way he used to when they were children and she'd seen something frightening. She cried into his chest and he shushed her, patting her hair.

"It's over," he said, just as he had when he'd finished reading_ Dracula_ to her, and seen the look of horror on her face. Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to quiet herself. She pulled gently out of his arms, and they looked at one another. He gave her a sad little smile.

"It's over."


End file.
